In Santa Pau, in La Garrotxa (Girona) a micro-patronage initiative has started promoted by the Friends of Santa Pau Association and the City Council to "save the town's castle" and make it a municipal heritage.
The immediate objective is to reach 100,000 euros in April and, subsequently, achieve half a million euros until June. Sources from the City Council assume that the first cut will be reached and are confident that 500,000 euros can be reached in June.
The mayor of the town, Cristina Capó, has highlighted the good harmony and support they have received from both the residents of Santa Pau and local companies and the Garrotxa region in general.
The agreement with the property has been sealed with an agreement signed this Tuesday in a room of the castle. After the event, the promoters announced the amount they have managed to raise so far: 36,780 euros.
"In a week I think we will have 100,000 euros." This is how confident the mayor is, who assumes that she will soon be able to reach the minimum figure that they have set to continue with the crowdfunding that they have launched this Tuesday to "save the castle" of the town.
Capó explained that they already have many donations committed and has highlighted the good harmony that the initiative has generated in the companies of Garrotxa and also in the residents of Santa Pau and the region in general.
If the objective is achieved, the City Council and the castle ownership will meet again to sign the purchase of the property. The price that has been agreed is 400,000 euros, but the objective is to reach 500,000 to face the communication campaign that will be carried out over the next four months.
If finally on June 20 the marker located on the viewpoint right next to the castle marks at least 500,000 euros, the castle will be purchased and the Generalitat and the Provincial Council will make effective their commitment to reform the roof, which is located in very bad condition.
The desire to recover the castle of Santa Pau, located in the center of the old part, began a few years ago when a part of the roof gave way. Then, the City Council established a commission with the desire to be able to evaluate what possibilities existed to recover the property.
At that time the property requested an amount that the council could not assume and the transfer was only achieved for 50 years. Now the property's position has changed and it has agreed to sell that property for a price of 400,000 euros.
The president of the Amics Association of Santa Pau, Ester Badosa, highlights that this Tuesday marks "a before and after" for the town. "Today it all begins," she said.
Badosa, who was also mayor of the town, explained that over the next four months they will carry out all kinds of activities to try to promote the crowdfunding campaign.
Apart from donations, video clips will be made or other initiatives such as the sale of chocolate tiles or leaflets that will be distributed, apart from "all the ideas that come from outside."
The castle is located in the center of the old part of Santa Pau. The urban fabric of the town was built around it around the year 1300.
The facility has been disused since the 1980s when the City Council tried to take over the property. If all goes well, on June 20 the purchase of one of the Santa Pau insignia will finally be signed.
