Buildings of the former Gama Filho University are imploded to become a park; watch video | River

This Sunday morning, the four buildings of the former Gama Filho University, in Piedade, in the North Zone of Rio, were imploded. To carry out the demolition, around 700 properties were evacuated within a radius of 150 meters. The place had been abandoned since 2014, with the bankruptcy of the private educational institution. The address will give rise to Parque Piedade, in an area of ​​18 thousand square meters. The city hall’s promise is that the new park will be opened by the end of next year at a cost of R$58 million.

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The project, under the responsibility of the Municipal Infrastructure Secretariat, envisages the construction of leisure areas to serve the residents of the Piedade neighborhood and surrounding areas, as well as a cultural, sports and educational center, built in partnership with Fecomércio.

Rua da Capela, where the Nossa Senhora da Piedade Chapel is located, listed by the Rio World Heritage Institute (IRPH) in 1996 for its architectural, historical and cultural importance, will also benefit from urbanization improvements.

There will also be space for fairs and events, a gym, football pitch, skate park, children’s playground and water park with an artificial waterfall.

Parque Madureira, opened in 2012, serves as an inspiration for what is planned to be done in Piedade. The idea is that works will also be carried out around the park with paving, signage, lighting, landscaping, an accessibility ramp at Piedade station on Rua Goiás and a cycle path on Rua Manoel Vitorino.

The initial sketches include a terrace for events, a gazebo, community gardens, an amphitheater, a sports court, a skate park and spaces with “high quality” toys, as well as a commercial area for restaurants and shops. According to Mayor Eduardo Paes, part of the space will be maintained as an educational center and will be run by Sesc and Senac.

The interventions to build the park began on September 5th, when two buildings from the former Colégio Piedade, which stood on the land, were demolished. The amount paid for expropriations was R$54 million.

— With the end of Gama Filho, this area was abandoned. With this work, I’m sure we’ll see shops, bars and restaurants again. The park will be a new point in our Rio suburb and many stories will be built in it — said Mayor Eduardo Paes.