Ondara is set to bloom as parking spaces become temporary gardens

Ondara is preparing to put a colourful twist on its streets this September, with several parking spaces temporarily transformed into urban gardens as part of a campaign celebrating local businesses.

The initiative, “Cambiemos los aparcamientos por jardines”, is being promoted by the local commercial sector and will run from September 1 to 19.

Rather than permanently removing parking, the campaign will use selected spaces as temporary green areas linked to participating businesses, creating a different experience for shoppers and visitors.

A greener way to discover Ondara

The idea is designed to bring more activity into the streets while highlighting the town’s shops, businesses and hospitality sector.

For a limited period, parking spaces will take on a completely different role, with gardens providing colourful focal points outside participating businesses.

The organisers want the campaign to encourage residents to explore Ondara on foot and discover local businesses from a new perspective.

The concept combines shopping, green spaces and gastronomy, turning an everyday part of the town’s streetscape into something more eye-catching and interactive.

Supporting local businesses

At the heart of the initiative is a push to raise the profile of Ondara’s commercial and business community.

The town has a substantial local retail and services sector, alongside its better-known shopping area. Municipal planning documents identify commerce, hospitality and related services as an important part of Ondara’s economy.

The temporary gardens are intended to help participating businesses stand out and encourage people to spend more time exploring the town centre.

It also gives local businesses an opportunity to become part of a shared campaign rather than promoting themselves individually.

Parking spaces with a new purpose

The idea is based on the wider concept of temporarily reclaiming parking spaces for people and public activity.

Ondara has previously taken part in Park(ing) Day initiatives, with parking bays converted into temporary gardens and green spaces in front of local businesses. Earlier editions also used the installations to promote the benefits of urban vegetation and encourage more sustainable forms of mobility.

This year’s campaign continues that concept while placing a stronger emphasis on local commerce.

The transformation is deliberately temporary, meaning drivers are not facing a permanent reduction in parking spaces.

A different side of Ondara

By combining greenery with shopping and gastronomy, the campaign aims to make the town’s streets more lively and inviting.

Visitors will be able to encounter the temporary garden installations while moving between local businesses, providing an unusual change from the normal urban landscape.

The organisers hope the initiative will encourage people to slow down, explore the town and discover businesses they might otherwise pass by.

For Ondara, it is a chance to experiment with how small changes to public space can create a more attractive shopping environment.

And for a few weeks in September, some of the town’s parking spaces will be doing something very different from simply holding cars: they will be in bloom.