The subdelegate of the Government in Lugo, Isabel Rodríguez, confirmed today in Xermade the impulse of the Government of Pedro Sánchez to the municipalities of the province that are immersed in the process of fair transition and that is exemplified in the aid of 403,000 euros that the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge has just granted to the City of Xermade to completely rehabilitate the old rectoral house and turn it into the future International Center of the Tornería of the municipality. This investment is part of the call for grants that the Institute for the Just Transition has resolved and that are intended to finance projects in areas affected by the closure of thermal power plants.
Isabel Rodríguez visited the town, accompanied by the mayor, Roberto García; the vice-chancellor of the University of La Coruña, Amparo Casares; and the architects of the project, Luz Paz Agras and Marta Marcos Maroño; and wooden turnips of the area, to supervise the works to be financed under this state plan. In this way, the subdelegate informed that the building, located in the center of Xermade, will be conditioned to create a center that serves as a platform for the exhibition and dissemination of this traditional trade, while being used as a multipurpose room, much demanded by the neighborhood, to host conferences, conferences, courses or presentation of different types of activities. In addition, a small car and bicycle parking will be enabled on the plot, and the planting of a forest with native trees is contemplated.
“We demonstrate, once again, the commitment of this Government for the rural and the fight against depopulation, bringing infrastructures and fundamental services to the neighbors who live in these localities, giving real opportunities for development and employment to the municipalities that face the cessation of activity of the thermal power plants. We will continue to take firm steps with a clear objective, to economically revitalize this region of the province,” said the deputy delegate. Isabel Rodríguez congratulated the councilor for the achievement of this aid with which the City Council will materialize an initiative in which it has many efforts, since in 2021 it acquired the rectoral house and in 2022 it signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Coruña for the implementation of the project.
“Thanks to this important investment of the Government we give a second life to the architectural heritage of the municipality, rehabilitating a building that will consolidate Xermade as a reference of the wood tornaria, a very deep-rooted link in this area of the Terra Chá, which will make visible and value the work of the torneiros and torneiras, creating synergies through a space for production, research and dissemination,” said Rodríguez, who also stressed that the forestry sector, of which the province of Lugo is a leader in production and export, will be strengthened.
Building redistribution
The International Center of Tornería will have a lathe workshop on the ground floor, an exhibition area and activity linked to wood on the upper floor, an elevator and toilets adapted for people with reduced mobility. Likewise, the building will be the venue of the traditional “International Meeting of Wood Turning” that has been held for 22 years and that brings together hundreds of professionals from within and had been from Spain.
The rehabilitation project includes a redistribution of the building to make it suitable for different uses, a constructive improvement and energy efficiency, through the waterproofing and thermal insulation of the roof and enclosures, with local materials; the provision of new carpentry with better thermal performance; a new drainage system; new electricity, lighting, plumbing or sanitation facilities, among other works.
It will also be equipped with a VRV aerothermal system, a high-efficiency heat recovery installation, complemented by the installation of solar panels on the southern skirt of the building. Finally, the center will have computer equipment such as computers, screens and video cameras.
40 million for business projects
Isabel Rodríguez gave the mayor of Xermade the opportunity of the next call of 40 million euros that the Ministry has just opened for business projects focused on generating green and quality employment in areas affected also by the closure of thermal power plants. The Government has a Fair Transition Office in the Pontes to advise on the submission of applications and to assist in the processing of applications.