Will the Square be sorted out by September?

[laserblazer]

Does it matter?

I'd have thought it does to the Traders and a lot of holidaymakers

[TomUK]

Now I'm really confused!

Not sure which of the two 'Square' threads this should be in - but here goes.

Looking at the square through the Matabixo Restaurant webcam lately, it appears that the pedestrianised area being created (which has already seen off the small parking area), now comes right up to the front of the Matabixo. Is this the case? Is there going to be no way through across the front of the Matabixo for road traffic?

The restaurant terrace obscures the immediate area in front - but the works seem to be very close to their frontage.

STOP PRESS! I have just had a look at Barry's excellent photos of the ongoing work and pic. No. 17 is a close up of the Matabixo frontage. The early layout of the kebstones suggests no way through in front of the Matabixo.

[Barry]

Thanks Tom. I took that photo because it does show a break between the square and the off-licence. I think will be cobbled and limited traffic allowed from the in to the out road. Don't ask me to define "limited traffic".
Understand that many of the people who run businesses on the out street (Barranco) have petitioned the camara to delay work on this street until the autumn, though not all are in favour. The alternative argument is to plough ahead and hope the work is finished on time (June 6th), during what in any case looks like a poor year for visitors.
Another of the photo's shows the start of demolition of the beach toilets, which are due to be rebuilt (thank god says my wife). What I don't understand is why they didn't start work on the toilets before starting on the square. They are now having to allow trucks over the square to the toilet site.

[TomUK]

Thanks for the reply Barry.

Perhaps 'limited traffic' means delivery vehicles only - time will tell.

We are out for 14 days for first two weeks in May, so we don't expect completion by then.

We're out again in September so we should see it in all it's glory by then!

Cheers - Tom

[Nigel]

Have a big family gathering in Carvoeiro on 4th June so fingers crossed that the square is back in one piece by then!

[TomUK]

I've just read on the 'Algarve Resident' website that the Vice-President of the Lagoa Camara, Rui Correia, says that the work on the square is expected to be finished by 9th April,

Hands up all those who believe him !!

[laserblazer]

That's the day we arrive so here's hoping.

[EMM]

I also noticed the article in the Resident, but I was surprised at the comment by the owner of Hemmingways bemoaning the loss of parking spaces,
Does he not realise that business will improve in CVO when it ceases to be an obstacle course for pedestrians vs cars.

[dj sull]

From what I've seen of the photos of the new square, it looks bloody awful. Why can't they just leave it as it was. I for one don't want to holiday in some half polished attempt at bringing the resort into the 21st century. I want the old Carvoeiro back. The Carvoeiro i fell in love with in the mid 80's, when i was a chubby blonde haired kid in a pair of very small england shorts. The smell of chicken on the bbq, eggy drains, the sight of elderly midget women, dressed in black shouting incoherently at one another, stray dogs having sex by a communal bin, going 2 days without running water, flicking a cockroach off my sausage,chips and beans in the long bar. That's the Carvoeiro i want.

[Michael Crane]

...The smell of chicken on the bbq, eggy drains, the sight of elderly midget women, dressed in black shouting incoherently at one another, stray dogs having sex by a communal bin, going 2 days without running water, flicking a cockroach off my sausage,chips and beans in the long bar. ...

Then go to Turkey!

[Ellie]

DJ, I feel somewhat in agreement with you on this.....I shall miss sitting on the round bench in the middle...the only compensation is they are making an avenue of trees; my question is will there be seating along it? Surely there must be? Ill need somewhere to park my bottom

[Michael Crane]

...Ill need somewhere to park my bottom

So will I, ellie. Wasn't that round seating thing a waste ot time, effort and money? It'd only been there a short time.

[DaveB]

I hear what you are saying Ellie and I haven't seen what they have done to the square yet but I can remember thinking the same thing about the changes they proposed at Alvor and that didn't turn out too bad, a bit of a blend between old & new, lets hope CVO has that feel too.

[sanreen]

I also wish they had left the square the way it was. Looking at it from the webcams I think it looks bitty. I think the old square had character and gave the village a village feel. They could have added a few more seats and some flower tubs and hanging baskets to enhance it. Carvoeiro is small and therefore not much can be done to its centre. Surely the way to help congestion in the town would be to have a park and ride in operation instead of changing all the roads.

[EMM]

I can,t wait to get back in a few weeks and see the vast improvements to the centre of CVO.

The square will no longer be a car park with a tired area of concrete hidden behind it.
I have my doubts ( but hope ) that the parking issues will have been resolved but must be better than the mess it has been in recent years.