Santa Cruz de Tenerife Advances Future City Vision with II City Forum

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is planning for a future where it's a sustainable, connected, innovative, and pleasant city. To achieve this, they've started a project called "Ciudad Santa Cruz," which brings together residents and experts.

A recent event, the II City Forum, organized by the City Council with support from the Metrópoli Foundation and the Moeve Foundation, is part of this project. This forum acts as a place for discussion and involvement, helping to build a shared vision for the city's future.

While the first forum in March focused on identifying key issues for Santa Cruz's future, this second meeting asked participants for their thoughts on fourteen potential strategic projects suggested by the Metrópoli Foundation. These ideas will help shape the final "Ciudad Santa Cruz" Project.

Representatives from government, political parties, community groups, universities, and businesses participated in the II City Forum. They all shared their views by filling out a questionnaire. The results will show how well the proposed ideas are received and where they can be improved or expanded. Their input, combining technical expertise, community understanding, and official backing, is vital for creating a shared vision for the city.

The proposed strategic projects are based on five core goals: making Santa Cruz more sustainable, innovative, competitive, inclusive, and connected to its natural and maritime surroundings, while blending local identity with a global approach to smart urban development.

These five areas and their related initiatives include:

• Comprehensive Planning: Tenerife Ecoisla / Metropolitan Project
• Mobility and Transport: Metropolitan Ring Road / Tram Extension
• Urban Integration and Environment: Ecological Corridors (Ravines) / Central Ecoboulevard / Coastal Ecoboulevard
• Economy and Innovation: Buenos Aires Innovation District / Renovation of Industrial Estates / Port-City Project / Tenerife Intelligence
• Urban and Heritage Regeneration: Renewal of the Historic Center / Neighborhood Hubs / The Villas of the Park

Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez said the II City Forum advanced a process that combines expertise, public involvement, and political will to define the city model they want for Santa Cruz. He also praised the Moeve Foundation for its crucial role in making the project financially viable and helping to shape the city's future.

Carlos Tarife, the Councilor for Public Services, Strategic Planning, and Environmental Sustainability, stated that the II City Forum was a significant step in building their desired city model. He noted that, together with local stakeholders, they assessed strategic projects that will contribute to a more sustainable, cohesive, and innovative city with a better quality of life, all through a participatory process.

He added that this project will drive urban transformation and development, preparing the capital of Tenerife for 21st-century challenges. Following the initial assessment, strategic projects can now be prioritized and detailed with input from everyone involved.

Teresa Mañueco, Director of the Moeve Foundation, highlighted that the second forum demonstrated the project's progress and maturity, marking a key step towards making strategic projects a reality and positioning Santa Cruz as an international leader by turning vision into action. She emphasized that public-private collaboration and citizen involvement are key to transforming Santa Cruz de Tenerife into a benchmark for sustainability, innovation, and quality of life through cooperation and consensus.

Alfonso Vegara, President of the Metrópoli Foundation, stressed the importance of this new participatory phase, noting that the strategic projects discussed are the result of a thorough process based on data, local analysis, and international comparisons. He reiterated that this is a collaborative project combining technical rigor with active listening, and that now is the time to incorporate the collective vision of the city to define its future path together.

The "Ciudad Santa Cruz" Project also has the backing of various institutions, including the Cabildo de Tenerife, the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, CEOE Tenerife, the University of La Laguna, CitiES and Asinca, Turismo de Tenerife, Metropolitano de Tenerife, PCTT, and Titsa. These organizations not only support the initiative but also contribute their knowledge and experience to a sustainable and competitive development model aligned with 21st-century challenges.

The II Forum presented the 14 strategic project ideas, categorized under the five pillars. For example, "Tenerife Ecoisla" aims to promote sustainability, energy self-sufficiency, sustainable mobility, a circular economy, and climate resilience across the island. The "Metropolitan Project" proposes an integrated urban development plan for Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Laguna, and their surrounding areas, addressing mobility, housing, and employment for over 600,000 residents.

Other proposals include the "Metropolitan Ring Road" to improve island mobility, the "Tram Extension" to enhance public transport coverage, and "Ecological Corridors" to restore ravines as green spaces. The "Central Ecoboulevard" and "Coastal Ecoboulevard" aim to transform urban roads into green routes promoting active mobility and urban renewal.

The "Buenos Aires Innovation District" focuses on revitalizing an industrial estate to foster innovation and technological development, particularly in the Blue Economy. The "Renovation of Industrial Estates" program seeks to modernize central industrial areas to improve their appearance, productivity, and connectivity. The "Port-City Project" aims to strengthen the link between the port and the city through new public spaces and urban improvements.

"Tenerife Intelligence" proposes using artificial intelligence and digital technologies to optimize urban management in areas like mobility, security, and resource consumption. The "Urban Renewal of the Historic Center" plans to regenerate the old town while preserving heritage and improving livability. "Neighborhood Hubs" aims to create community centers in neighborhoods to enhance public spaces, services, social cohesion, and a sense of belonging. Finally, "The Villas of the Park" involves interventions in the Anaga Rural Park to improve its urban fabric, accessibility, services, and connection to the landscape and local identity.

The outcomes of the II City Forum will be crucial for the project's next steps. The Metrópoli Foundation will proceed with the conceptual design of the strategic projects, developing the final versions of the most favored initiatives. This will include details on location, justification, characteristics, urban integration, structure, and management suggestions, creating a comprehensive and agreed-upon vision for the territory's future.

All parties involved agree that the "Ciudad Santa Cruz" Project is moving the capital of Tenerife towards a model based on public-private collaboration and participation, combining expertise, citizen input, and official commitment to create a resilient, sustainable, competitive, innovative, and open city.

Initially, a thorough analysis of the territory was conducted, examining planning, urban design, the environment, and the city's economic structure. This assessment identified Santa Cruz's strengths, opportunities, and challenges, as well as its key assets for transformation.

This initial analysis formed the basis for a set of key ideas discussed at the first City Forum in March, where over 80 local stakeholders shared their visions for the city's future. The II City Forum built upon this work by presenting a foundational document that, with its contributions, will guide the future of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.