LISBON CÂMARA has given permission for four new underground car parks to be built close to Lisbon Zoo. The right to use the land has been awarded for a period of 99 years and a symbolic rent of 20 euros per annum is to be charged.
The new car parks, to be operated by Emparque S.A., will provide a total of 1,300 spaces and are to be constructed at Praça D. Luis I, Duque de Loulé/Praça José Fontana, Rua Alves Redol and Praça Humberto Delgado, the last of which will directly serve visitors to the Jardim Zoológico.
“The introduction of these car parks means that the zoo will be able to collect a considerable income to fund the maintenance of this magnificent animal park and can proceed with ambitious modernisation work and a range of improvements,” Lisbon Câmara President, CarmonaRodrigues, explained.
The zoo’s president, Francisco Naharro Pires, explained that the zoo will be receiving four per cent of the revenue made from the car park entry fees. He also emphasised that “it is going to be very good for the zoo’s visitors as they will now be able to access the zoo much more quickly than before. In the past it was necessary to walk for 15 or 20 minutes,” he said.
The construction of the car parks is expected to conclude within two years following câmara approval of the project’s detailed plans.And the zoo is not the only winner – on average, the four new car parks are expected to provide an income for Emparque of around 1.3 million euros per year.
