A new international petition - 'No to the plans destroying the character of the historic centre of Olhão in Portugal' has been set up to oppose the council's plans to modernise the Historic Zone of Olhão and keeps the pressure on a town hall now under seige from all sides.
Mayor Pina has reacted badly to recent criticism in the local press that serves the Portuguese and English speaking community, as well as to a highly damaging public meeting last Friday that saw the great and the good firmly in opposition over the 'aberration' planned by Pina's cabal.
Local blog Olhão Livre has suggested there may be backhanders involved due to the council's obsession to see bland, machine-cut paving blocks replace much of the city's signature calçada shoping areas. Local social media has weighed in behind the campaign's core which seeks to upgrade the Historic Centre in a calm, sensitive way rather than wholesale modernisation planned by the council including destruction of old buildings and building enw, unwanted ones.
Readers of algarvedailynews are invited to read the full petition and to add their name and email. It starts thus:
"Olhão is a small city in the eastern Algarve of Portugal, with a peculiar authentic and unique architecture which kept a quite human scale.
Major attractions include the cubist style architecture of the old town which was developed through trading links with North Africa and the narrow cobbled streets using the traditional technique of calçadas.
"The municipality has introduced a plan for the renewal of the old city center which will destroy the charm and character of the architectural and urban patterns...
Hit this link to continue:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/no-to-the-plans-destroying-the-historic-centre-of
