River Interpretation Center is new symbol of Águeda's identity
Inaugurated on June 6, C-Rio has already won a national award for Sustainable and Intelligent Urban Rehabilitation.
The recently opened River Interpretation Center (C-Rio) in Águeda was officially presented to the public on June 6, quickly becoming a new symbol of the municipality's environmental and cultural identity. The facility, which represents an investment of more than 470,000 euros by the municipality, was distinguished last week with the António Almeida Henriques Prize, awarded at the Portugal Smart City Summit, in the “Sustainable and Intelligent Urban Rehabilitation” category.
Located on the banks of the River Águeda, C-Rio is the result of the rehabilitation of a previously abandoned building that had been the subject of years of litigation between the municipality and the former owners. Today, the space is a center for awareness, knowledge and appreciation of freshwater ecosystems, with a special focus on the Vouga River Basin.
The center aims not only to raise awareness of river biodiversity and the importance of rivers in the region's environmental and cultural balance, but also to serve as a starting point for various scientific, recreational, tourist and sporting activities.
During the inauguration ceremony, the mayor of Águeda, Jorge Almeida, stressed the importance of the municipality's commitment to the re-naturalization of riverside paths, which has already begun in Ribeira da Aguieira and continues in Aguada de Cima, with emphasis on the LIFE Águeda project, which has been restoring the Águeda and Alfusqueiro rivers.
Also present at the inauguration, Pedro Raposo de Almeida, director of MARE and head of LIFE Águeda, expressed his satisfaction at the result of an eight-year project: “This was a dream of an eight-year project, in which Águeda welcomed us with open arms, with interventions that go far beyond this equipment, which has returned to Águeda 34 kilometers of river free (of obstacles), in which the animals are able to use their natural habitats.”
The C-Rio is spread over two floors. On the top floor, there is the Exhibition Room, with four themed areas - Vouga River Basin, Species and Habitats, History and Culture of the River and Fishing Arts - complemented by five exhibition aquariums and interactive educational equipment.
The Immersive Room, designed to provide visual and sensory experiences about the region's rivers, will also be installed on this same floor in a second phase, and will be able to host lectures, workshops and educational activities.
The lower floor houses the changing rooms, toilets and a surrounding garden area, the starting point for outdoor activities.
With funding of more than 356,000 euros, co-financed by Centro 2020 (infrastructure) and the LIFE program (exhibition area), C-Rio was born from the sustainable urban rehabilitation of a forgotten space and is now positioned as a pillar of a broader environmental strategy, focused on creating a natural urban park along the River Águeda.
Águeda thus reaffirms its place at the forefront of cities that are committed to renaturalization, sustainability and environmental education.
Photos by Águeda City Council