The intervention responds to problems detected in the building’s roofs, including damp and bulging. The project includes work on the roofs of the multipurpose area, stage house and auditorium, involving the removal of deteriorated elements, renewal of waterproofing and insulation systems, refurbishment of skylights and finishing elements, and replacement of affected components and installations. The necessary checks will also be carried out to verify watertightness and the proper operation of the water drainage systems. Barbastro Mayor Fernando Torres highlighted the importance of keeping an infrastructure that serves the entire city in suitable condition.
“The Congress Centre is much more than a municipal building: it is a facility that makes Barbastro even more of a city. It allows us to offer a stable cultural programme, hosts events and activities of many different kinds, and also provides a suitable venue for congresses, conferences and events that bring together residents and visitors. Without this building, many of the events held in Barbastro simply would not be possible.” Torres also highlighted the economic dimension of this infrastructure: “Every activity held at the Congress Centre helps generate activity in the city. The arrival of visitors benefits the hospitality sector, retailers and other services. Preserving this facility and ensuring its operation is therefore an investment in quality of life, economic activity and the city’s ability to continue growing.”
A KEY VENUE FOR BARBASTRO’S CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
Culture Councillor Pilar Abad also recalled that having a venue such as the Congress Centre is “essential” to developing a continuous and diverse cultural programme: “It sets us apart in our geographical context, as it offers the technical and spatial conditions essential for organising cultural activities that would not fit elsewhere in the city. The Congress Centre enables Barbastro to maintain a cultural offering throughout the year. Improving the building means maximising our ability to offer shows, meetings and activities to local residents.” Silvia Ramírez, Councillor for Development, also stressed this point: “Barbastro is a city of trade fairs and congresses and, in large part, without forgetting our fair tradition, it is so thanks to this facility and the renovated Fairground, which the Congress Centre complements. Without it, events such as the recent Real Estate Show, for example, could not have been held.”
The construction project, drawn up by architects Mario Torrente and Miguel Domper, establishes a comprehensive intervention on the roofs to address the deficiencies detected and improve their performance against water and weather conditions. The procurement procedure was launched on the basis of a supporting report prepared by the municipal architect and has the favourable technical, legal and audit reports required for approval. The resolution, signed on October 16, approves both the procedure and the specifications governing the contracting and execution of the works. The contract will be awarded using automatically assessable criteria, including the financial bid and an extension of the warranty period, with the aim of promoting efficiency in public spending and the durability of the work.
