Last Monday, April 26, 2021, was marked by the closing of the Cooperation Agreement that began three years earlier in 2018, between the City Hall of São Paulo, through the regional administration of the Subprefecture of Sé and the participating entities FECAP - Foundation, Álvares Penteado School of Commerce, JCI Brazil-Japan, and Greenline Latam, through AMA BRASIL is being finalized and restoration work, in one of the most renowned areas of leisure and historical reference in the city will be completed. A symbol of Japanese immigration to Brazil, Largo da Pólvora has preserved its name since the Empire, became part of the testimony of social change the city has witnessed in over 200 years. Currently, it serves as a refuge for birds and inhabitants who enjoy the calm waters of its two ornamental lakes, where Nishikigoi carps swim exuberantly.
During this period, a lot was accomplished. Installation of concrete benches for visitors, filtering system in the lakes, cement coating, periodic painting of equipment, grids and guides, fumigation and rat extermination, repopulation of lakes with ornamental Nishikigoi carp, replanting and restoration of the garden beds, and the frequent cleaning that was carried out in complementary support for public cleaning, in an attempt to keep the place free of urban waste, allowing for a pleasant environment.
Due to the constant degradation of urban landscapes, especially in recent years, keeping an area such as Largo da Pólvora revitalized and preserved is a huge challenge, and any person or entity that assumes this task knows the magnitude of the responsibility they have on a daily basis. For this reason, the participants were proud to carry out this work until its completion.
There is also the possibility of renewal, thus proposing new terms of cooperation, but with the challenges of the pandemic, it is necessary for some people in the society to be part of a newly formed contract, further strengthening the commitment to transform and keep alive this wonderful space for all residents and visitors.
The participants who closed this Cooperation Agreement have been thankful to the City Hall of São Paulo and the residents of Liberdade for the opportunity to share in this dimensionless experience, learning from all those involved and anxiously await the next challenge.
