Andorra Completes €160K Landscaping Upgrade at Casa dels Guardes, Transforming Site into Youth Camp
Escaldes-Engordany council and FEDA collaborate on greener spaces with heritage panels and quieter infrastructure, while repurposing buildings for summer camps hosting groups of 10 children.
Key Points
- Escaldes-Engordany council and FEDA complete €160K landscaping at Casa dels Guardes with dry-stone walls, benches, and heritage panels.
- Project relocates stations and transformers for youth suitability; FEDA transfers 5 buildings for 15 years.
- Site repurposed into youth camp hosting groups of 10 children, with €800K total budget and €280K spent.
- Facility enhances accessibility for young campers vs. remote Ràmio site, potential for events and education.
The Escaldes-Engordany parish council and FEDA have completed landscaping upgrades around the Casa dels Guardes site in Engolasters, creating greener spaces with dry-stone walls, wooden benches, new terrace access paths, and heritage information panels near the lake.
The €160,000 project—partly funded through a November 2024 agreement—also involved relocating Engolasters' weather and amateur radio stations, plus replacing noisy power transformers with quieter models suitable for young visitors. An additional €80,000 is earmarked for restoring the site's terraces, formerly used as gardens and a chicken coop by FEDA staff. Under the deal, FEDA transferred five disused buildings to the council for 15 years, in exchange for these environmental improvements.
FEDA general director Sílvia Calvó described the collaboration as key to revitalising an emblematic area blending historical, industrial, and natural features. With FEDA's electricity museum under renovation at its power plant until year-end, FEDA Cultura activities—including guided tours along the Engolasters hydroelectric path—have shifted to the site this summer. Part of the museum's equipment will also relocate there temporarily.
The council is converting the buildings into a youth camp and activity centre, with a total €800,000 budget and €280,000 spent so far. One structure was refurbished last year to accommodate Ràmio camp children, with capacity for 10. This summer, a second building—still under renovation—will serve provisionally as a kitchen, dining area, and multipurpose room, supported by portable bathrooms and showers. Camps are scheduled for August and the first week of September, hosting groups of around 10 children each.
Lead consul Rosa Gili called the facility a much-needed asset for the parish and country, noting its strong demand and accessibility for younger children compared to the more remote, rustic Ràmio site in Vall del Madriu. She highlighted potential future uses, such as social events, educational programmes, or even a youth hostel, and mentioned a nearby field called La Campa as a possible games area. Calvó emphasised that the upgrades make the space lively and open to all Andorrans.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- Bon Dia•
Engolasters amplia les colònies i renova la Casa dels Guardes
- El Periòdic•
Escaldes i FEDA transformen la casa dels guardes d’Engolasters en un nou espai per a colònies i activitats culturals
- Altaveu•
El comú d'Escaldes i FEDA culminen l'embelliment i millora de l'entorn de la Casa dels Guardes
- Diari d'Andorra•
Escaldes i FEDA presenten la nova casa del guarda d'Engolasters