Walden XXI begins work on the first co-operative co-housing for the elderly in Catalonia
More than 100 people attend the groundbreaking ceremony in front of the old Jecsalis hotel in Sant Feliu de Guíxols

The reading of the "letter to the future" by the members excites the attendees and claims self-management and collective care for the elderly as an alternative to the current model of residences
Report | TV Costa Brava
The cooperative co-housing for the elderly, Walden XXI, begins its construction
Last Friday, July 19, 2024 was a very special day for the members of the project of Walden XXI, and for all of us as a Sostre Cívic. We celebrated the beginning of the works on the project, which will be the first co-operative co-housing on assignment for specific use for the elderly in Catalonia. The event took place in front of the old Jecsalis hotel in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, where more than 100 people, including partners, relatives, friends, neighbors and project technicians, did not want to miss this historic moment.



The afternoon began with the welcome of the partner Aurora Moreno, followed by the parliaments of various authorities and representatives of the project. The project, at cost price and not for profit, already has the commitment of financing from different ethical and cooperative banking entities, and from several Catalan and state public administrations. The works are expected to end in 2026. To reflect this sum of efforts we had the pleasure of having the presence of Carlos Motas, mayor of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, who highlighted the importance for the municipality of Sant Feliu de Guíxols hosting this pioneering project in Catalonia, and Luis Torrens, Secretary of Social and Family Affairs of the Generalitat who set the project as an example for the country and its institutions on the strategy to follow for the deinstitutionalization of care for the elderly. Among the attendees were also Maria Angels Planas i Gloria Freixa, members of Junts in the Parliament of Catalonia.


Walden XXI is based on the comprehensive rehabilitation of the old Jecsalis hotel, acquired in 2020 by the cooperative. The works have finally started, after four years overcoming all kinds of financial and regulatory obstacles. Joseph Maria Ricart, president of Walden XXI, referred to it during his parliament: “after four years of overcoming obstacles and working with perseverance, we are very proud to have come this far. Our conviction in the philosophy of community life has allowed us to realize this long cherished dream". "The only fights that are lost are those that are abandoned", he added at the end of his excited speech.
This project includes 31 apartments from 40 to 56 m², common spaces such as a multipurpose room and a community dining room, and is designed to encourage social interaction and the well-being of residents. In addition, the rehabilitation of the building incorporates criteria of sustainability and energy efficiency to minimize the environmental impact and reduce costs. In Yabel Pérez, technician responsible for the project and member of the Board of Directors of Sostre Cívic, wanted to underline the fact that this project supposes "recovery of private assets to do it in collective management in favor of the right to housing and a dignified old age".

During the event, one of the most emotional moments was the reading of the "letter to the future" by the partners, which will be one of the objects they will bury between the walls in the form of a foundation stone. Addressed to future generations who may find it, the reading captivated all attendees, i is that in the letter the partners claim to be pioneers of this pioneering project in Catalonia that was born from the conviction that "growing old with friends and good neighbors in an active and communal way was a better alternative". With words full of hope and determination, the partners expressed their desire that Walden XXI serve as a reference of solidarity, ecological and self-managed coexistence for future generations. The letter also underlines the importance of a "philosophy of self-managed and community life," stating that "our third way, for which we fought, is the one we leave you for the future", highlighting the need for self-management of care that offers an alternative to traditional residences and unwanted loneliness.
We ended the event with the unfurling of a giant banner, a joint photo, a toast, a musical performance and a snack in Sant Joan square. And a location to meet again in the same place in a couple of years, to celebrate the launch and start of the coexistence of the project.


