La Perona Immortalized
Here we stand at once was site of La Perona, a neighborhood formed in 1947. The entire barrack neighbourhood stretched from the old Bridge of Espronceda and was parallel to the train tracks, ending shortly before the Church of San Martin de Provensals. From testimonials we can recall that La Perona consisted of two very different parts: the Sant Martí round and the Sant Martí fund . The round began at the Espronceda bridge, between Carrer del Clot and Rambla Guipúscoa and reached the Treball bridge. Those who lived in this area of the neighborhood were people from various parts of Spain, mostly from Andalusia, "who came to Barcelona with the only ambition to find work and build a better future. Those who lived in the background of Sant Martí, to the promenade of Prim, were people who lived in marginality, without a known occupation. Both groups were overwhelmed with poverty, high levels of unemployment and terrible sanitation and healthcare. Malaria plagued many households and some residents recall living off only eggs or bread for days.
The district took it’s name from a visit made that year to the city by Eva Duarte de Perón , wife of Juan Perón. She, after observing that dreadful quality of life in the barracks, made a pledge to use her powerful influence to revive the neighbourhood and the wellbeing of its people. Unfortunately, this promise never came to be realized for years to follow and, as we will see, through many other channels of social petition.
Until 1966 the number of barracks did not exceed 200 but, after a military exercise was held in with the presence of Franco, it was decided that the Somorrostro was to be dismantled, and many of the inhabitants of this neighborhood move to the perona. The situation became more complicated for locals as the population of La Perona grew, reaching 1,000 barracks and some 5,000 people, mostly of gypsy ethnicity . In one scenario, there were almost 2,000 people crowded in 35-meter barracks many of them living without basic services. Public areas were non-existent and the streets surrounding the barracks acted as a dump. Still, most residents lived without access to plumbing or running water. The City of Barcelona convened a Conference on Roma population and the case of Perona was stressed as a priority, where the increasingly poor status is officially classified as "deplorable (“La Verneda ( La Perona ) | Space De Benja Grech,” n.d.) Mayor Porcioles in 1972 promised to eradicate the barracks of the neighborhood, ten years later, not only had they not be eliminated, but they had once again grown. Conflicts in the neighborhood intensified in 1982 by the wave of shoplifting and crime, which were attributed to the gypsies who lived there.
In 1985 there were still 55 barracks and a population of about 400 people. Finally, in 1989, after almost 40 years of answered demands and appeals and countless broken promises, this part of the neighbourhood was to be dismantled definitively. However, what’s disappointing is that the action ultimately came down to the fact that the Olympics were approaching, not that the social breaking point had finally been reached. After all, Barcelona had to consider its image in the global opinion. Just as we consider the enablers of the developments in Place Pau and Palmera, we can contrast the motivations behind alterations that occurred in this neighbourhoods as well. A history of strong community protest that resulting in little government or political action.
Regardless, in June of that year the last barracks were demolished, and their inhabitants moved to other neighborhoods. Here, in the park of St. Marti was where the last barrack had once stood. In a way, we can commemorate that the people of this community were able to withstand awful living conditions and arrive on the other side of such events, holding together with strong community values.
Photo Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona, La Barcelona de antes
