TLDR:
- São Brás de Alportel citizens voted for a covered padel court as the top project in the 2024 People’s Budget.
- The new court will be used mostly for school sports, increasing access to the growing sport in the area.
São Brás de Alportel has announced the construction of a covered padel court at the José Belchior Viegas secondary school as the top voted project in the 2024 edition of its “Orçamento Participativo” (People’s Budget, or OP). The municipal council stated that the new court will be used mostly for school sports, allowing greater access to this growing sport and increasing the number of sports infrastructures in the borough. The winning proposal received 53% of votes, ahead of other projects like the construction of an amphitheatre, installation of CCTV cameras at public parks, and rehabilitation of a snack bar at a sports pavilion.
The main goal of the People’s Budget initiative is to involve the community in the life and future of the municipality of São Brás de Alportel, with a budget of €70,000 for this year. Other projects that were supported through this initiative include the construction of a dog park, skate park, public basketball court, and various parks and sports areas. The OP has also led to the expansion of accessible pavement networking and installation of interactive panels at local schools.
Overall, the covered padel court project in São Brás de Alportel highlights the community’s engagement in decision-making and the importance of providing sports infrastructures to promote healthy and active lifestyles among citizens.