The City Hall of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), through the Secretariat for the Environment and Climate, reopened the Lagoinha Trail, the main one in Chico Mendes Park, in Recreio dos Bandeirantes. The reopening event took place this Friday (23).
Interdicted in 2018 due to the risks posed by the fall of the rainwater gallery, the site received interventions by the Rio-Águas Foundation. Even with the challenges faced due to the difficulty of access for employees and machinery to the stretch, the interventions were completed in just one month. The teams made specific improvements to the drainage system, recovering the section of the gallery that was damaged.
In addition to impacting the functioning of the park, the ban prevented visitors from walking the entire trail, which has a low level of difficulty and a 30-minute walk, in addition to not being able to approach the lagoon, since the trail is on the banks. her.
The deputy mayor and municipal secretary for the Environment and Climate, Nilton Caldeira, highlighted the work done at the site and the importance of the park for the city.
“The team at Rio Águas did a great job and, based on that, we are returning a brand new trail to cariocas and visitors. Parque Chico Mendes is an environmental preservation area with many attractions, including natural trails. So, bring the family and come enjoy contact with nature!”
About 30 students from the Vera Lúcia Martins Costa Child Development School, which is also located in Recreio, participated in the event, debuting the renovated track.
With the reopening of the trail, which also had the support of the Recreio Residents Association (AMOR), 105 native seedlings were planted, and the animals returned to roam the site. From now on, visitors will be able to access the park’s entire trail circuit, and the expectation is that the average number of visitors, which currently stands at around 7,500 per month, will increase considerably after the improvements. Before the pandemic, the park received 13,000 visitors a month.
The park is on Av. Jarbas de Carvalho, nº 679, Recreio dos Bandeirantes.