THE LOOKOUT | Entroncamento insists on the demolition of the Sophia Mello Breyner Kindergarten

The socialist management of the Entroncamento Chamber insists on the demolition of the Sophia de Mello Breyner Kindergarten, not taking advantage of the four million in funding allocated by the Médio Tejo Intermunicipal Community to rehabilitate the space. Locomotive 094, a target of concern from the opposition in previous meetings, due to its high state of degradation, will also not be rehabilitated.
Through the new Integrated Territorial Instrument, the Médio Tejo Intermunicipal Community has a budget of 121.6 million euros of European funds, of which 25% are allocated to common projects in the community’s 11 municipalities. Of this amount, 7.3 million euros are allocated to Entroncamento, with four million allocated to the municipality’s urban rehabilitation and regeneration.
The kindergarten has not yet been closed down because the demolition proposal has already been rejected twice in city council meetings by the opposition, which together has a majority. The councilor argues that a cost-benefit study must be carried out and that the Social Democrats will be in favor of any result that arises from this. PSD councilor, Rui Madeira, believes that the rehabilitation of the building is the fastest, cheapest and most efficient solution to address the education problems and overcrowding of schools that exist in the municipality. The kindergarten case has been going on since April 2021, when President Jorge Faria proposed to move forward with the demolition of the property and ratify the closure of the kindergarten. The Entroncamento Chamber is willing to spend 2.1 million euros on the demolition and reconstruction of the Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen Kindergarten, despite the report from the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC) not considering this radical option essential and even open the door to other solutions.