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Castilian Waterway-Transformation of the waterway and former flour factory.
Published on 19 March 2018
Spain
Castilla y León
Laura Cuevas Ortiz
TECHNICIAN
About this good practice
The transformation of the Castilla waterway used cultural heritage as a driver for a wider process, which used the existing asset (the waterway) to provide public access for leisure and recreation activities. The transformation process was a seed investment for new touristic activities and products.
Navigability through the Castile waterway was banned in 1959 but now it is proved that the tourist sailing through the Castile Waterway can be carried out in a respectful way,currently four boats carry out tours through the Castile waterway.
The participation of the Hydrographic Confederation of the Duero as a manager of the Water and Environmental resources from the central government in the Castile Waterway, and they contributed to the recovery of the river bed, the cleaning of the dock of the Castile Waterway and the recovery of the warehouses.
This good practice is important to consider the new uses that the population needed and how to coordinate with the existing resources. Acquisition of the flour factory of San Antonio and the navigation through the Castilla waterway have allowed to offer different leisure, cultural, tourist, sports activities which make the Castilla waterway attractive for different types of public during all the year.
Factory located next to the dock of the Waterway of Castilla, which served in its years of splendour to the milling of the grain, nowadays converted into a museum. It is a clear witness of the Industrial Revolution.
Navigability through the Castile waterway was banned in 1959 but now it is proved that the tourist sailing through the Castile Waterway can be carried out in a respectful way,currently four boats carry out tours through the Castile waterway.
The participation of the Hydrographic Confederation of the Duero as a manager of the Water and Environmental resources from the central government in the Castile Waterway, and they contributed to the recovery of the river bed, the cleaning of the dock of the Castile Waterway and the recovery of the warehouses.
This good practice is important to consider the new uses that the population needed and how to coordinate with the existing resources. Acquisition of the flour factory of San Antonio and the navigation through the Castilla waterway have allowed to offer different leisure, cultural, tourist, sports activities which make the Castilla waterway attractive for different types of public during all the year.
Factory located next to the dock of the Waterway of Castilla, which served in its years of splendour to the milling of the grain, nowadays converted into a museum. It is a clear witness of the Industrial Revolution.
Resources needed
The Regional Government of Castile and Leon and the Provincial Government of Valladolid contributed with 450.000 Euros for the acquisition of the Flour’s company of San Antonio. The cost of the boats is about 400,000 euros each boat.Four boats were acquired.
Evidence of success
The tranformation caused some positive effects in different domains:
Cultural impact: New cultural activities such as exhibitions,conferences,or theater displays.
Economic impact:Several jobs have been generated a boat driver, a channel manager technician, 2 hostesses, 2 canoe monitors, 1 flour factory guide.
Ecological impact: All the boats are environmental friendly and vegetation and fauna were recovered.
Social Impact: Population feel the Castile waterway as a place of their own.
Cultural impact: New cultural activities such as exhibitions,conferences,or theater displays.
Economic impact:Several jobs have been generated a boat driver, a channel manager technician, 2 hostesses, 2 canoe monitors, 1 flour factory guide.
Ecological impact: All the boats are environmental friendly and vegetation and fauna were recovered.
Social Impact: Population feel the Castile waterway as a place of their own.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Castile waterway has been used to promote sustainable cultural tourism with the celebrations of different leisure activities inside and outside the water.
It has been able to adapt to the needs of each era, what was born as a waterway to transport goods, it is now considered a site of celebration of cultural activities and entertaiment.
It is important to consider what the population needed and how to use the existing resources.
The opening of the dock, the construction of the botanical park, the recovery of the grain storage, the purchase of the flour factory, the recovery of the navigability and the launching of the boats what has been achieved is that the citizens feel and value much more the waterway and its surroundings .It has become a meeting point for the realization of cultural and sport activities
It has been able to adapt to the needs of each era, what was born as a waterway to transport goods, it is now considered a site of celebration of cultural activities and entertaiment.
It is important to consider what the population needed and how to use the existing resources.
The opening of the dock, the construction of the botanical park, the recovery of the grain storage, the purchase of the flour factory, the recovery of the navigability and the launching of the boats what has been achieved is that the citizens feel and value much more the waterway and its surroundings .It has become a meeting point for the realization of cultural and sport activities
Good practice owner
Organisation
Town council of Medina de Rioseco and Association Adecco Canal de Castilla
Spain
Castilla y León
Contact
Laura Cuevas Ortiz
TECHNICIAN