Figueres: Els Pins works on carrer Balmes start 26 October
Work to redevelop the far end of carrer Balmes in Figueres is set to begin on 26 October. The local weekly Hora Nova reported that the project is moving ahead and that the works are expected to take two months.
The site is known locally as Els Pins, Catalan for "The Pines". It is an uneven patch of ground marked by bumps and potholes. Under the plan, the area will be fully urbanised and turned into a passage, or "passatge" in Catalan.
The new passage will be named after Josep M. Bernils i Mach, a former chronicler of the city.
What is planned
The project is a street improvement scheme rather than a large building development. Its purpose is to turn a rough, irregular corner at the end of carrer Balmes into a proper finished street space.
In Catalan and Spanish towns, "urbanising" an area means giving it the basic features of a finished street, as opposed to leaving it as open or unfinished ground. The source does not say what the Els Pins works will include, how much they will cost or who will carry them out. It also does not give details of any traffic or parking changes while the works are under way.
The key points confirmed so far are:
- Works are due to start on 26 October
- They are expected to last around two months
- The area affected is the Els Pins zone at the end of carrer Balmes
- The finished space will become a passage named after Josep M. Bernils i Mach
If the schedule holds, the works would run through November and December and finish around the end of the year.
A name from local history
Naming the passage after Bernils i Mach connects the new street to the history of the city. The source describes him as the city's chronicler.
In many Catalan towns, the "cronista" is someone who records and writes about local history, events and daily life. The role is often honorary and linked to a person's long commitment to the town.
Catalan councils often name new streets, squares and passages after figures from local culture and history. It is a common way for towns to keep names and stories from the past in daily use. A new passage in Figueres will now carry Bernils i Mach's name for residents and visitors.
Who is affected
The direct impact will be felt most by people who live near the end of carrer Balmes or use the area regularly. For two months, residents can expect the usual disruption that comes with street works.
The source does not give details on access, diversions or working hours. Anyone living or working nearby may want to watch for notices from the city before 26 October.
For readers in Empuriabrava and Castelló d'Empúries, Figueres is the capital of the Alt Empordà comarca, or county. Many people in the area go there for shopping, services and appointments. Changes to its streets are therefore relevant to a wider circle than the residents of the city alone.
The Els Pins project is one of several recent changes to public space in Figueres. The city is also preparing to open the old prison gardens to the public on 3 October.
Our Take
The Els Pins works are a small project, but small projects often matter most to the people who live next to them. A strip of ground with bumps and potholes at the end of a street is the kind of problem residents notice every day. Turning it into a finished passage suggests the city is dealing with smaller neglected corners as well as larger schemes.
The choice of name is also worth noting. Honouring the city's former chronicler links new public space to local memory, a common practice across Catalonia.
It is worth watching whether the two-month timetable holds, since street works in the region do not always finish on schedule. Residents should also look out for information from the city on access and disruption. Once the passage is finished, it will be clearer how much it improves daily life at this end of carrer Balmes.