On Monday, February 2, we will make the presentation of the refurbishment and adaptation project of Can Falç, one of the most emblematic buildings in Sitges, located on Passeig de la Ribera. The City Hall of Sitges and the Barcelona Provincial Council have been working together during recent months to promote a plan that will allow Can Falç to become a new museum which reproduces the seafaring and farming town of a period between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. The expected recovery of Can Falç for public use is the culmination of a heritage refurbishment project promoted by the Governing Body during the current legislature. The efforts were centered on Museums, Library, the building of Prado and the catalog of architectural protection.
One of the cornerstones of our project for the 2011-15 legislatures had a self-explanatory title: "Preservation over new constructions”. It was one of the points of our election campaign for 2011 later reflected on our Governance Plan. After years of abusive and disproportionate urban growth, with more than a few urban blights along the way, Sitges needed to highlight our rich architectural, artistic and natural heritage inherited from our elders. For this reason, the City Hall became an active player in the defense of our culture through specific actions, and at the same time as the test of a policy that will ensure that in the future no historical building will be tore down as in the past.
This is the essence of the Special Plan for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Sitges, known as Catalogue, that were are carrying out currently. This new plan will double the number of listed buildings, which cannot be tore down in any way, and also include other specific elements such as sets of buildings or natural areas. The catalog is the basic tool that ensures the preservation of our heritage. The last revision was 1991, and even considering that the General Plan was updated about ten years ago, that was not the case of the Catalogue that already has nearly 25 years and that needs to include more items to avoid inappropriate actions.
The wording of the new Catalog symbolizes the essence of our commitment to protect our heritage. Meanwhile, the refurbishment of Museums, the Library, “el Prado” or Can Falç constitutes the practice of this culture that allows developing specific actions.
In the reform of Cau Ferrat and Maricel Museum, we prepared a project that avoided architectural aggressions and that overcame space limitations with imaginative solutions, but that any case always respected our heritage. The result, as you can see, has been very satisfactory and the general feeling of the 16,000 people who have visited the museums after the reopening has been remarkably positive.
It is also the case of the Santiago Rusiñol Library that we are currently refurbishing, keeping its heritage value as the structure was in a dire condition. The project will allow us to enjoy a library with better services for users, and especially to ensure the continuity of a building with a high value.
We will also intervene in the building of Casino Prado, an important part of our heritage, thanks to the collaboration of the Barcelona Provincial Council. We will carry a necessary reform to further the general interest of the municipality, which will ensure the restoration of a landmark building. While in the project of Can Falç, in addition to the refurbishment, we will gain a new museum which will enrich the quality of our cultural and tourist offer.
