The Olivais Borough Council relied on Government dispatches to close playgrounds. But neither document indicates or suggests this closure. Lisbon's Civil Protection only recommended the closing of playgrounds located in forested areas, which in Olivais is only one, the Vale do Silêncio Park.
The Olivais Parish Council has decided to close down the existing playgrounds and outdoor gyms in its territory, citing a Government decision. But, both the order that declared on July 8 the state of alert in Portugal and the order that later (on the 11th) raised the level to a state of contingency, do not determine or recommend the closure of this type of equipment.
At post made on social networks on July 9th, the Olivais Borough Council announced that, following Order no. 8329-A/2022 "proceeded to close its playgrounds and public play and recreation equipment until July 15". In a visit to one of these playgrounds, this Tuesday morning, the 12th, Lisboa Para Pessoas found it closed with plastic ties to prevent the opening of the parts, reinforced with signaling tapes around them. Next to it, an outdoor gymnasium was covered with some of this signaling tape, discouraging its use.
The closing of playgrounds and recreational facilities was one of the many responses of Parish and Town Councils to the Covid-19 pandemic. But if at the time there were indications for that, it is not the case now. Lisboa Para Pessoas has read the Order No. 8329-A/2022published on July 7th in Diário da República; this is the dispatch that put on alert the whole continental territory between the 8th and 15th of July. Lisboa Para Pessoas also read the subsequent dispatch that raised the alert level to a contingency situation. In none of the documents - which purport to warn the country of this week's high fire risk - did we find a determination or recommendation for the closure of children's and leisure facilities.
The first order determines, solely, the "prohibition of access, circulation and permanence within the forest areas, previously defined in the municipal plans for defense against forest fires" - In the city of Lisbon, there are 13 parks and urban areas categorized as forest areas. The same order clarified that agricultural or animal feeding activities are not prohibited in forest spaces, "provided that they are of an essential and unpostponable nature and are carried out in irrigated areas or areas devoid of forests, woods or inflammable materials, and from which there is no danger of ignition". The second dispatch maintains these restrictions, among others, and reinforces the human and technological resources to respond to rural fire situations.
The only reference to playgrounds is made in the most recent recommendations of the Lisbon City Hall and Lisbon Civil Protection. The local authorities had already canceled public and private events in the forest areas of the city, but after the Government's contingency declaration, they reinforced the measures and the one for playgrounds appears as a recommendation and only for playgrounds located inside these forest areas. In Lisbon, according to Lisbon Municipal Forest Fire Defense Plan (2019), are 13: Monsanto Forest Park, Tapada das Necessidades, Tapada da Ajuda, Silva Porto Park, Moinhos de Santana Park, Madre de Deus Park, Vale do Silêncio Park, Encosta da Calçada de Carriche, Chelas Central Park, José Gomes Ferreira Park, Vale Fundão Park, Quinta das Conchas e Lilases, and Bela Vista Park.
Now, the Olivais Borough Council could close down municipal equipment such as playgrounds located, for example, in the Vale do Silêncio Park, but no one has determined or recommended the closure of these leisure facilities throughout the parish, particularly in residential areas. The playground that Lisboa Para Pessoas visited and photographed for this article is located in Praça Cidade de São Salvador, a large pedestrian square in the middle of the neighborhood. Posted in that park, there is a notice for the already scrutinized Despacho nº 8329-A/2022.
In the parish of Olivais, there is only one forest area: the Vale do Silêncio Park. Besides recommending the closure of "playgrounds and other municipal equipment" in these areas, the Lisbon Civil Protection and the City Council indicate that a "promoting reduced circulation and access" to these forest areas, "with the exception of access, movement and stay of permanent or temporary residents, and of persons exercising a professional activity there".
Update at 9:30 PM on 07/12/2022: corrected information about the parish.
