La Laguna Converts Underutilized Land Into New Parking Facility to Ease Traffic

Managing public space in crowded urban areas is a major challenge for councils across the Canary Islands. To address this, the La Laguna City Council is making better use of underutilized municipal land. The local government has begun converting an 807-square-meter plot in Valle Tabares into a parking area with space for about thirty vehicles.

Coordinated by the Department of Works, Infrastructure, and Accessibility, this project is part of a strategy to put empty plots to temporary use while they await long-term development plans. Led by Ángel Chinea, the department has successfully used this approach in other parts of the municipality to help ease parking shortages.

The site, located between the main road into town and Calle La Era de Tabares, was chosen for its strategic location near the Cisneros Alter school. The council expects the new parking area to serve both local residents and families dropping off or picking up students, which should help reduce traffic congestion on nearby streets during peak hours.

The work is being carried out by the City Council using its own resources. The process includes installing perimeter fencing, leveling the ground, and laying down recycled asphalt—a cost-effective and sustainable material recovered from other public works projects.

The parking area is scheduled to open in early September, just in time for the start of the new school year. This initiative is part of a wider effort by the La Laguna council to respond to neighborhood concerns about mobility by turning disused land into practical, temporary infrastructure.