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Date Published: 16/08/2022

ARCHIVED - Work begins on long-awaited refurbishment of the Domingo Sastre gardens

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

The elderly people's home in the Region of Murcia will have a therapeutic aviary and an ecological vegetable garden

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Work begins on long-awaited refurbishment of the Domingo Sastre gardens

The Domingo Sastre de Lorca home for the elderly is finally undergoing a long-awaited refurbishment, work that users and staff at the centre run by the Murcia Institute of Social Action (IMAS) have been calling for for a long time.

Work has already begun on the four-month refurbishment and restructuring of its spacious and "neglected gardens" at a cost of 178,500 euros financed with Next Generation Funds.

The project aims to improve the accessibility of the 4,183 m2 green space and provide it with new activity areas for users, and will include the creation of a continuous printed concrete pavement route, a rainwater drainage network, a drip irrigation network, the installation of outdoor lighting, an accessible stage area, as well as two bio-health circuits, one for the residence and another for the Day Centre.

Also planned is the relocation of the petanque area, the installation of benches, bioclimatic pergolas - to encourage activities that take place in open spaces - the construction of a therapeutic bird aviary, and a vegetable garden with cultivation tables adapted for wheelchair users.

"The aim is to create an accessible open-air space for the 80 residents of the centre, incorporating activity areas and uses for the development and improvement of the quality of life of the elderly, such as the therapeutic garden to promote active ageing, helping to work on cognitive stimulation and avoiding sedentary lifestyles among the elderly," explained architect María Gómez Barnés who drew up the plans.

The existing pavement is in a state of "serious deterioration", to the point of being impracticable in several areas, and fixtures such as the wooden stage for open-air performances and the petanque court are in poor condition, according to staff and users.

And the trees, which will be replenished with the planting of a further 15, are "not in the best condition", due to ageing, pathologies such as the processionnaire's disease, or lack of water.

If all goes according to plan, from December these gardens will be an "important stimulus for residents" and will "contribute to improving their health", added the architect.

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