Reconnecting right and left banks through tourism development

Through the series of connectivity questions, it was also interesting to learn of the historical disconnect between the two banks of the river. The new pedestrian bridge Ponte Pedro e Inês is attractive for people to cross, in addition to pedestrian and vehicle crossing already possible on Ponte Rainha Santa Clara. But one of the stakeholders I interviewed noted that crossing the bridge may be “more fun than functional.” Project Parque Verde on the left bank does look somewhat neglected, and improvements on the left bank were not done to the same extent as on the right bank.

One stakeholder pointed out that Parque Verde on the other side feels like an afterthought. The discrepancy in political, economic, and social resources is something left bank residents have lived with for a long time – decades? centuries? Coimbra has always revolved around the university, one of the oldest in Europe, on the right bank. The larger sized population on the right bank also “tend to be wealthier, more educated, more prioritized” than the smaller number on the left bank. Political power and influence weigh in more on the right bank than the left.

As I crossed the pedestrian bridge Ponte Pedonal Pedro e Inês, I noticed generally fewer visitors, fewer equipment like benches, shades, and programmed activities on "the other side". Granted, it was midday; the sun was ablaze and most people probably at work. Bar do Mondego, the only food and beverage outfit this side of the river, was closed. A canoeing and kayaking center was open. Three boys had come for a swim in the canal. The stage that hosts the annual students’ festival was empty. Walking on the left bank got unbearably hot without trees and shade structures. Lacking any indicator signposts, I walked halfway along the perimeter of the park – under the hot sun – to find the exit.  The photos below show the lack of shade and facilities on the left bank.

Convento Santa Clara-a-Velha, the old convent abandoned because of siltation from centuries of floods, was still under renovation and closed to the public. I headed to Convento São Francisco for a ceramic exhibition. The old church-turned-exhibition space was empty except for me and two elderly French couples. The one staff member was chatting on MSN Messenger on her laptop. The exhibit took half an hour and I continued up to the new convent further uphill. Inside its cathedral, the cavernous grandeur accentuated the few visitors. The beautiful cloisters behind the cathedral were empty; I was the only visitor.

Convento Santa Clara-a-Velha under renovation

What I experienced on the left bank was perhaps a sign of the challenges of tourism development in Coimbra. Despite the renewed image that the Polis project has brought to the city, all of the stakeholders I interviewed were skeptical that the renewed image will attract more tourism.

The same stakeholder I spoke to suggested tourism development as a way to better connect the two sides of the river. Many of the touristic places on the other side could benefit from a conscious effort to connect the two banks, creating a more pleasant walking experience. In effect, such a tourism development plan would develop the axis perpendicular to the river, connecting existing green open spaces on the right bank such as Parque Santa Cruz and the Botanical Gardens, and the tourism destinations on the left bank, such as the convents and exhibition center. She called this a "Polis II" of sorts, which could further add value to the large investment on Parque Verde, while bringing benefits to the historical center and other monuments of note.

Comprehensive tourism planning would also consider the type of tourism and points of interest that Coimbra has to offer, and the services the city needs to offer to cater to the targeted clientele. One interviewee suggested developing tourism for Japanese and Chinese audiences, telling the story of exploration by Vasco de Gama and other Portuguese discoverers. The museums in the Alta area, Museum of Science, Museum of Archeology, and Museum Machado de Castro could also benefit from improved tourism programming, such as a tri-museum pass.

However, developing tourism also has its own set of challenges.  One stakeholder alluded to the vicious cycle of tourism in which Coimbra finds itself. There were few good hotels in Coimbra, but the small number of tourists made it difficult to justify improvements to existing hotels or building more hotels. The hotel owners I spoke to was surprised I was staying in Coimbra for a week; most tourists stay a night, before moving on to other points of interests just outside of Coimbra, like Conimbriga, Fatima, and the mountains up the Mondego valley. 

Parque Verde poorly connected to various parts of town, except by car

Access to the waterfront was an important objective of the Polis program. Due to the large parking lot, Parque Verde is most accessible by car. The park is a good 15-20 minutes’ walk from Largo de Portagem, through an older romantic riverfront park, Parque de Manuel Braga. The park is also not very accessible from other parts of town, with limited public transit options.













Parque Dr. Manuel Braga is an older park reflecting the trend of hardening river edges in urban areas. It is somewhat popular, attracting a variety of users. It also benefited from the Polis program in the form of the new Museu da Agua. Click to enlarge image.

When asked about the connection between the historic center and the river, three stakeholders agreed that access from the historic center could be improved. One interviewee who was probably most involved with the project maintained that it was not difficult to get to the river from the historic center. Access on foot from Largo de Portagem to Parque Verde is complemented by the Linha Azul, the “Blue Line” bus that takes residents into the urban core.





Linha Azul buses run on electricity, and are small enough to go on pedestrianized streets such as Rua Visconde da Luz, where the bus doesn't have the right of way and is not allowed to overtake pedestrians. Linha Azul riders are mostly older people who are the typical residents the historical center. The bus passes through Rua Sa da Bandeira, before entering the Alta area with almost-impossible-to-pass narrow streets.

Although one interviewee said Parque Verde may now provide people with a reason to come down to the river via the Baixa, or downtown area, access is solely through Largo de Portagem, which is limiting. Access from the historic center to the river could also be improved by rehabilitating the train station area in the Baixa.

Another part of the historic center that could benefit from better connection to the river is the Jardim Botanico, or the Botanical Garden. On plan view without elevation lines, the garden is deceivingly close to the river. But the Garden lies on the steep southeast slope of the acropolis. A cable car was proposed to provide this connection, but the Botanical Garden representative I spoke to preferred a “walk-through” instead of a “fly-through” connection. Visitors could technically walk through the garden from its main entrance on Alameda Dr. Julio Henriques to its southern entrance on Rua do Alegria. When I visited the Botanical Garden, many parts were unfortunately closed, including the leading to the southern entrance.

While the stakeholders I talked to habitually drive and thus are not very familiar with the public transport system, I got the impression that public transportation is not so popular an option. The Ecovia project, not directly related to the Polis program, was started a few years ago to encourage drivers to park their cars in parking lots just outside the city center, where they then transfer to a shuttle to downtown. The stakeholders I spoke with agreed the project was well-intentioned, but did not work very well. The shuttles have stopped running.

The stakeholders I spoke to offered some possible reasons. First, there was not a real need for such a program. Traffic congestion is not horrendous enough in Coimbra to motivate people to use the Ecovia system. Parking is pretty easily available in the historic center, and instead of paying at the Ecovia lots, drivers would rather pay for parking downtown. Secondly, public transportation typically requires transfers and longer wait times, and the perceived inconvenience is a deterrent. One interviewee suggested that perhaps out-of-town train riders would appreciate a transfer from Coimbra-B station, the old station north of the historic center.

Parque Verde appears most accessible to those who drive. Walking is possible from the historical center, but access is only through Largo de Portagem, a small entry point to the downtown. Public transportation options may be available but are mostly unpopular.

Polis project had little impact on Coimbra's historical center so far

According to the stakeholders I interviewed, the Polis project has had little impact on the historic center, although some conceded that the project highlighted the need to connect the river to the city’s historic core. Given the river's role in the history of Coimbra, and the historical connection between the river and the city, the stakeholders were asked to assess the project's impact on the historical center.

The river is still fragmented from the Alta and the Baxia areas as well as the Botanical Gardens, without a clear pedestrian or public transit connection. The riverfront along the train station, for example, is starkly separated from the river despite the close proximity. Some downtown goers might park their car at the Parque Verde parking lot and walk to their destination, but it is a good 15-20 minutes’ walk from the said parking lot to Largo de Portagem. The Botanical Gardens is situated just upslope from Parque Verde, but there is no direct access through the gardens, and pedestrians have to walk around the garden (about 30-45 minutes) to access the river.

Close-up of Coimbra with walking routes, approximate course of Rio Ribela

The downtown/Baixa area underwent depopulation as more affordable housing options became available in the mid 20th century, some say as a result of the central government plan by Etienne de Gröer that called for lower densities over an expanded urban area. One stakeholder maintained that the Baixa still appears depopulated and neglected with businesses facing competition from modern shopping malls in the outskirts of the historic center.

Rehabilitation efforts are underway but face difficult challenges. New leisure areas such as Parque Verde and mega shopping malls in the outer suburbs detract from the commercial areas between Praça 8 de Maio in the north to Largo de Portagem in the south, along rua Visconde da Luz and rua Ferreira Borges. Old structures are difficult to renovate, and incentive programs lack sustained funding. For example, municipal cost-sharing partnerships are available for property owners, providing the latter with infrastructural updates (e.g. electricity, gas, internet, etc) and technical and design support, but funding comes from the central government and is dwindling every year. However, the creation of Parque Verde by the Polis program has not played a significant role in these rehabilitation efforts, according to the stakeholders interviewed.

Ecological values called into question

Most interviewees specified that while the Polis program added recreational and aesthetic values to the river, it did not improve the river's ecological condition.  In terms of water quality, an interviewee mentioned a study by a Spanish environmental NGO that suggests the need to retrofit the sewage treatment plant downstream of the city, but which the Polis project did not address.  The project has also likely encouraged construction of high-rise apartment buildings, where poor stormwater management practices would like discharge sediment into the river.  Sedimentation also likely results from forest fires upstream aggravated by the highly flammable nonnative species of pines and eucalyptus.

In terms of habitat, the project did not improve the fate of the endangered lampreia species, whose migratory spawning pattern is restricted by the dam at Ponte do Açude dowstream of Parque Verde.  The dam gives the river a more lake-like appearance, which according to an interviewee may be more pleasant than the river's low-flow summertime appearance.

Interviewees also provided ideas and general critiques aimed at further improving the river within the city:

1) Overall, most agreed the project should continue and be completed, especially on the other side of the river where the park still looks incomplete.

2) Intervention would also be needed to regulate construction patterns, both to prevent a glut in the housing market, and reduce the impact of sedimentation.  The construction boom has also greatly altered the character of the river banks and surrounding city.

3)  Local stakeholders interviewed pointed the increasing demand for ecological integrity by local residents.  Water quality needs to be monitored and improved both for ecological and human purposes.  A migration passage for the endangered lampreia, accompanied by interpretive ecological center at the dam Ponte do Açude, would help restore the endangered species population as well as educate the public.  Lastly, two interviewees disagreed with the project's highly artificial approach of completely destroying the orange groves that previously occupied the plot of land, only to replant it with orange trees.  Some of the mature orange trees could have been preserved during the construction process.

4)  One interviewee highlighted the possibility of restoring smaller streams draining into the Mondego to reinforce the riparian habitat, notably at Mata Naçional do Choupal.  Another stream, Ribela, starts from its headwaters at Parque Santa Cruz, and has been known to carry endangered frog species.

Lack of connection between Choupal and smaller streams within it, and the Rio Mondego

Headwaters of Rio Ribela in Parque Santa Cruz

5)  Some stakeholders implied the project is somewhat isolated from the historical areas of Coimbra, Alta and Baixa, and called for improving the connection between the historic center and the river itself.  The lack of connections was further elaborated upon in the next section of the interview. 

6)  One interviewee posited that Parque Verde's parking lot seems too large, both reducing the amount of green space and encouraging people to drive to the park.  She observes that downtown goers are now more likely to drive from points in the greater Coimbra, park at this lot, and then walk to downtown.  

The next section of the interviewee covers specifically access to the river from various areas of Coimbra, including the historical center, the botanical gardens, and surrounding residential areas.