Sant Antoni de Portmany is preparing a major renovation and expansion of the children's playground at the junction of Calle Cataluña and Calle Alicante, next to the entrance to the Municipal Cemetery.

The project will almost double the usable area of the existing enclosure, introduce new inclusive play equipment, improve accessibility and visibility, and create a more open layout designed to make it easier for adults to supervise children.

The works are currently out to tender, with a base budget of €376,526.59 including VAT and an estimated construction period of three months.

From 117 to 185 Square Metres

The existing playground currently has 117.33 square metres of usable space.

Under the proposed project, the interior area will increase to 185.29 square metres. The existing perimeter walls and fencing will be demolished and the site will be remodelled with a larger play area and improved circulation.

The project also includes a 208.04-square-metre foundation slab beneath the new development.

The New Playground Will Sit Below the Pavements

One of the most distinctive features of the design is the level of the new playground.

The finished surface will be positioned below the surrounding pavements, at a level just five centimetres above the road level of Calle Alicante.

The project documentation says this arrangement is intended partly to improve drainage and, importantly, to increase visual transparency across the playground. The design specifically aims to create a space where children can play while adults can supervise them more effectively.

The lowered layout therefore forms part of the project's visibility and safety approach rather than being simply an architectural choice.

Four New Play Features

The planned playground will contain four main pieces of play equipment, specified as HAGS or equivalent.

These include a geometric climbing structure with a spider-web style net, a group swing with a nest-style basket seat, a reclining rocking element with cushioning and a climbing tower designed for children aged between five and 12.

The project documents describe the first three elements as accessible for wheelchair users. The climbing tower is the only one of the four listed as not accessible for people with reduced mobility.

Safer, More Accessible Surfaces

The existing untreated surface will be replaced with a continuous safety rubber floor designed to absorb impacts.

The project also includes accessible ramps, new perimeter fencing, benches, bins and information signage.

The completed playground will have to receive final certification from an entity accredited by ENAC before the municipality formally accepts the works.

Five Shade Sails and Seven Tall Support Columns

Shade will be provided by a textile canopy made up of five tension sails.

The sails will be supported by seven structural-steel columns reaching up to six metres in height, each anchored to its own concrete foundation.

The fencing is planned in AISI 316 stainless steel, a material suited to marine and highly exposed environments, with handrails at two different heights.

Optional Security Cameras Could Be Added

The tender contains an unusual feature for a neighbourhood children's playground: bidders can earn additional points by offering two external surveillance cameras.

The cameras would be integrated into the municipality's existing public-road surveillance network.

However, the cameras are not mandatory under the tender. Installing them would be an optional improvement offered by companies competing for the contract, worth up to five additional points in the tender evaluation.

That distinction means the final playground may or may not include the cameras, depending on the successful tender offer.

Air-Quality Monitoring Is Also Optional

A second optional improvement concerns environmental monitoring.

Companies can receive up to another five points by proposing an air-quality monitoring station capable of measuring pollutants and particles including suspended particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.

Like the surveillance cameras, the monitoring station is not an obligatory element of the basic project. It is an additional feature that bidders can offer as part of their proposals.

Six New Lights Around the Site

The project also provides for six Philips lighting units around the playground.

Three urban waste bins of a type already used elsewhere in the municipality will be installed, together with information signage.

The landscaping plans include replacing an existing Ficus benjamina with a Magnolia grandiflora in the surrounding area.

Existing Space Described as Underused

The municipality's project starts from an assessment of the current site.

The existing enclosed area has four wooden benches as its only furniture, with no paved surface or play equipment.

The project documentation says the space currently has relatively little use despite being located in an urban area.

The redesign is intended to turn it into a more functional family space with dedicated play equipment, better accessibility and improved visibility.

More Than €376,000 Investment

The base tender budget is €376,526.59 including VAT.

The value excluding VAT is €311,179.

According to the tender documentation, the playground equipment and associated infrastructure represent several of the largest individual cost categories within the project.

This is a procurement process rather than an awarded construction contract, meaning the final cost and successful contractor have not yet been determined.

Companies Have Until October 1 to Bid

The tender was published in September 2026 under an open simplified procedure.

Companies can submit offers until October 1 at 2:30pm through Spain's Public Sector Procurement Platform.

The planned execution period is three months, with a 12-month warranty period following completion.

Construction Cannot Normally Take Place During the Peak Season

The technical specifications contain an additional scheduling restriction.

The works are subject to a municipal moratorium that normally requires construction to remain suspended during June, July, August and September because of the high season, unless the contracting authority expressly authorises an exception.

This means the final construction timetable will also depend on when the contract is formally awarded and the works are permitted to proceed.

A More Open Playground for Families

The central idea behind the redesign is not simply to increase the number of play facilities.

The project aims to create a more open and visually transparent environment, allowing adults to see across the playground while children use the new equipment.

The combination of improved accessibility, safety surfacing, shade, lighting and the lower finished level is intended to make the space easier to use and supervise.

Still a Project, Not Yet a Finished Park

The proposed transformation is significant, but construction has not yet begun.

The municipality has approved the procurement process and opened the tender for companies to submit their offers. The winning contractor will then carry out the works over the planned three-month period.

The optional surveillance cameras and air-quality monitoring system will depend on the improvements included in the successful bid.

For Sant Antoni families, the project would ultimately replace the small, under-equipped existing playground with a larger and more accessible space designed around visibility, safety and everyday use.