ZAPE-Barra coastal promenade to start construction next year

Planning for the ZAPE-Barra coastal promenade construction should conclude next year, with subsequent commencement of construction to occur within the year, Lo Chi Kin, vice president of the IAM’s Administration Committee said.

The Municipal Affairs Bureau’s (IAM) Municipal Affairs Advisory Committee has begun holding regular meetings.

The main topic for discussion was the progress of the coastal promenade from the Kun Iam Ecumenecal Centre to the A-Ma Temple through the Macau Tower. The project was first conceptualized several years ago and has been mentioned on multiple occasions, including parliamentary speeches and debates.

The city currently has a 400-meter promenade from the Kun Iam Centre to the Macao Science Center. Usually, users will also cover the promenade of the Science Center, making the entire trail about 700 meters long. The total area of the promenade is about 15,000 square meters, with different facilities.

Discussing the extension of this existing promenade to Barra, Lo disclosed that the design is ready but can only be confirmed next year. Aiming to start construction next year, the IAM is aiming to partially complete construction in 2024. Another year will be needed for total completion.

The municipal affairs official said that the promenade will include certain youth facilities, such as ball grounds, skateboarding grounds and a cycling track. Children’s facilities will also be built to cater to families.

The completed promenade will be the largest of its kind on the Macau Peninsula, linking the A-Ma Temple with the Macao Science Center, covering almost the entirety of the southern coast of the peninsula.

Lo promised that more information will be released in due course.

Ron Lam, lawmaker and member of the advisory committee, recapped his proposal from several years ago on transforming the city’s coast to an inviting space for sports and leisure. This is hoped to boost Macau’s characteristics as a coastal city.

On the gradual transformation of the city’s coasts, the lawmaker-advisor expressed his hopes that a fishing area would be established at the Sai Van Lake, so as to cater to demand from fishing enthusiasts and better manage leisure fishing.

While discussing general municipal facilities, lawmaker-advisor Nick Lei requested that the bureau improve the layout of public facilities based on available data and comments that have been received. Urban planning factors, population and land resources should also be considered in the planning process.

Reiterating the public’s desire for more leisure sporting spaces, Lei once again requested that the bureau make use of currently unused or vacant government-owned land to build provisional leisure areas, parks or sporting facilities. A review of the existing facilities and their suitability was also suggested for the Taipa Grande Trail.

Other comments at the meeting called for upgrading the previously-announced modifications of the former Canidrome to encompass an overall transformation of the space to make them accessible to those with concerns such as mobility impairements.