18 Jan 60% of the Raia Termal project implemented
The budget of this European plan exceeds 2.6 million euros
The cross-border cooperation project “Raia Termal”, approved in 2017 with a budget of 2.6 million euros for actions in the towns of Bande, Cortegada, Lobios and Muíños in Ourense and the Portuguese towns of Melgaço and Terras de Bouro, has reached 60% of the programmed actions. This was endorsed yesterday by the Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation, after the fifth meeting of the board of directors which, due to the coronavirus pandemic, was held telematically and was attended by the president of the Hydrographic Confederation himself, José Antonio Quiroga, and Plácido Alvarez, vice-president of the Ourense Provincial Council. The representatives of the Portuguese chambers of Melgaço and Terras de Bouro apologised for their absence, due to urgent matters of management of the pandemic
In the session, those present analysed the material and immaterial projects carried out to date, as well as the imminent completion of the works referring to the construction of a connection footbridge in Os Baños, in the bed of the Caldo river in Lobios; as well as the waste water treatment plant in the area of O Corgo.
Eight months before the end of the European project, set for 31 September, a formula has begun to be assessed so that the partners, once the project is completed in September of this year 2021, commit themselves to supervising the actions carried out for at least three years, although in this case without European funding.
The board highlighted the completion in recent months of the rehabilitation work on the Casa do Baño and the creation of a motor home area in Bande; the improvement and signposting of the Terras de Cortegada Thermal Route; the construction of a removable waterwheel on the River Caldo or the construction of a thermal cycle path in A Devesa, within the municipality of Lobios; and in the municipality of Muíños, the construction of access to the river beach of O Corgo from O Rañadoiro, the adaptation of the path to the power station in Salas or the construction of the path to the Illa de Pazos.
On the other side of the “raia” the cleaning of the water lines and the rehabilitation of the floodgates of the fluvial space of the Termas do Peso, the tree recovery of the Parque do Peso, the placement of underground containers for waste, the creation of a “fitness” park or the rehabilitation of the parking area of the thermal baths in Melgaço have been undertaken. In Terras de Bouro, the project has allowed the recovery, improvement and conditioning of the banks of the River Gerés or the demonstration area of aromatic and medicinal plants.
The basin organisation also highlighted the importance of implementing intangible investments, including the project’s website and the maintenance of the project’s social networks, the carrying out of a study in which more interesting tourist products for the area have been defined, and a promotional campaign that is being designed, and will be seen in the coming months, which includes an English style bus-Office Raia Termal. We are also working on the purchase of equipment and the design of a joint marketing platform.