The Parc de ses Estacions in Palma has never become the fine city park that had originally been envisaged. Although it has an excellent location, the degradation is clear for all to see. The town hall wants to do something about this, and so is planning investment of between 420,000 and 650,000 euros over the next four years.
The councillor for infrastructure, Rodrigo Romero, says that the park needs significant investment. When it became town hall responsibility during the time of the previous Partido Popular administration, it was in a poor condition and had no spending allocated to it above day-to-day upkeep. Under a new contract for the city's parks and gardens, "it's going to be fixed".
The most urgent need relates to the boards (as opposed to the paving). There are obviously a great number of pedestrians, not only those using the Intermodal Station. There are also various activities which take place in the park that require better boards. Another deficiency is the fountain. It has been losing water and is currently turned off. In order to repair it, an agreement will have to be reached with the SFM rail operator, given the station is underneath it.
The gardens and the playground are other targets for improvement. With regard to the latter, the current contract doesn't have provision for any spending. Under the new one there will be renewal of the surface and a possible change to the play installations.
Romero adds that the new contract will mean that there is a definitive resolution of the issue to do with waste bins. His department and the Emaya municipal services agency have been in dispute as to which of them is in fact responsible for emptying the bins. As for the shanty that has been put up in the park and which is used by vagrants, Romero explains that this is a matter that the police and the welfare department are working on.