FARO’S LONG awaited new municipal market will open to the public on December 18.
However, after announcing the opening Faro Câmara said it cannot guarantee if the market will be fully operational on that date, as it is dependant on the stall holders installing their equipment in time.
The market has been a source of controversy for many months due to building delays and various financial problems.
It is widely believed that the problems surrounding the project contributed to former Faro Câmara President, José Vítorino losing the local election in 2005.
Work was suspended on the market between February 2005 and January 2006, and the project has gone over budget to the tune of 5.5 million euros.
According to a statement made by José Apolinário, current president of Faro Câmara, the building, which has taken a total of five years to construct is now complete and the benches for the market stalls are ready.
All that remains is for the market traders to install their equipment.
“We are going to open the doors to the public so that they can visit the building,” he said, “and are asking that traders try to install their equipment, such as display fittings, freezers and fridges, among other items, within six to eight weeks.”
The new market has been built on the site of the old one, respects the original architecture and comprises four floors, two of which are below ground level. It will be the ground floor that is inaugurated on December 18, which will host the traditional market, butchers and several restaurants.
A gymnasium, internet centre and a Loja do Cidadão (citizen’s shop where you can pay bills and deal with bureaucratic matters such as ID cards, social security registration and so on) are planned for the first floor. State investment has been confirmed to support these facilities and the installation arrangements are currently being negotiated.
A public car park offering space for 492 vehicles, a supermarket, storage rooms and an area for deliveries are situated on the two underground levels. The surrounding area of the market building has been refurbished to form an attractive public square with benches, trees and walkways.
According to Apolinário, the market building, excluding the internet centre, gymnasium, shops and restaurants, represents an investment of around 22 million euros and the financing agreement, which was initially agreed on a short term basis, has been converted to medium/longterm. “We have extended the concession to 2026 (previously it was 2020), because it was the only way we could find to control the financial situation,” said the câmara president, who also wants to put other alterations into practice with regard to the financing of the project, including proposals to help support the traders and make the market more sustainable.
