Juberri Gardens Owner Begins Dismantling Sculptures After Council Ends 20-Year Project

Nicole Grignon, owner of the Juberri gardens in Sant Julià de Lòria, has started removing sculptures from the site after the local council decided to end the 20-year project. Sant Julià de Lòria council leader Cerni Cairat, however, denied reports of a strict 8 March deadline, stressing a preference for a negotiated resolution.

Grignon told *El Periòdic* that dismantling is underway, with the first items—a replica Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty at her home's entrance—already taken away. She described the reported 8 March clearance date as unfeasible amid winter snow, calling it "a scandal" and criticising the council's approach. She said she faces all costs alone, with no assistance offered, adding: "I thought the council would help, but they've never given me anything."

Cairat rejected the idea of a fixed deadline, noting the original 2004 agreement allows three months for closure but that the council recognises winter makes full dismantling impossible within that period. "We made it clear we understand it can't be done in 90 days and would seek a consensual solution," he said. He denied any conflict with Grignon, saying the council asked if she had legal representation to aid talks and offered options like resizing the gardens, keeping parts as a public space for locals, preserving artistic pieces, and helping find temporary storage.

The move follows complaints from Juberri residents about overcrowding, traffic, parking issues, and lack of services in the residential zone. Cairat explained the site expanded from an authorised 4,000 square metres to 8,000 without approval, shifting from a green space to a sculpture museum promoted for tourists. Many pieces were added without prior notice, worsening neighbour concerns. He noted Grignon had indicated her heirs would not maintain the gardens, prompting the review, and ruled out any building plans: "The goal is to recover public space compatible with residential use."

Grignon insists the free gardens benefited the community, with visitors helping upkeep, and rejects unkempt claims. She plans to donate the mill to the council, move the nativity scene to a chapel in her home, store a prized Saint Rita statue—bought 15 years ago at a Paris auction after a church closure—and keep other pieces outside her house where space allows. Dismantling some required helicopters originally, and she anticipates high costs for truck removals.

Cairat said the council aims to end summer tourist crowds while seeking a dignified outcome, and will reconvene with Grignon soon for a final agreement. Grignon intends to publicly announce full closure once complete.