The construction of the Portela Norte Urban Park is in progress, representing a significant community project for the parish. Initially, the land was planned for a fuel service station, but the Parish Council (Junta de Freguesia) and the population opposed it, proposing an urban park as an alternative.
The proposal was supported by over 3,000 residents who signed the petition. After a period where the previous Municipal Executive did not act on the idea, the current executive showed political will to realize it. The process involved developing preliminary studies, projects, and a lengthy bureaucratic procedure to transfer the land to municipal ownership, some of which was privately held.
The project's financing was secured in collaboration with the Loures Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal de Loures). The future park will feature a cultural building with an auditorium, a cafeteria, and spaces for cultural activities, a terrace overlooking the garden, green areas for leisure, a playground, and a sports zone.
This new green space aims to be a meeting and social hub for the Portela community, promoting its culture. The initiative fulfills one of the many dreams promised to the parish over decades, transforming an initial refusal into a proposal supported by thousands of people and, now, an ongoing construction project.
