Delayed Start Amid Ongoing Works
The EBM Tramuntana nursery school in Sant Andreu de Palomar started the 2026–2027 academic year on 14 September, a week after most municipal nurseries, due to ongoing construction and incomplete facilities. According to the Barcelona City Council, the delay affected only new enrolments at this centre and at the expanded EBM La Mar in Ciutat Vella. The school, located at the ground floor of a public housing block on the Passeig de Marta Mata, offers 104 places across seven classrooms and was officially scheduled to open earlier. However, it began operations without a functioning kitchen, air conditioning, or completed outdoor playground.
When a government is not on time, families pay the consequences: permits, grandparents, shift changes, and work-life balance problems.
City Council Addresses Shortcomings
Municipal sources confirmed to Metrópoli that the kitchen was not operational at the start because children were in an adaptation period and did not require meals initially. Catering for staff began on 14 September, and the kitchen has been fully functional since 17 September. A leak in a dormitory on opening day delayed bathroom access, but the issue was resolved by 15 September, with both children’s and family bathrooms now operational. Air conditioning was also delayed due to a pipe issue in the installation. Portable units were used until the system was activated on 25 September, as confirmed by the City Council.
Playground Still Incomplete
The only remaining deficiency is the outdoor playground, which covers 636 square metres and remains under construction. The City Council expects completion in October and has informed families that play areas will be progressively enabled from next week. The €2.5 million project forms part of the city’s response to increased demand from the urban development of La Sagrera. The new nursery is one of six recently built or expanded municipal childcare centres adding over 27 million euros in public investment. Junts per Barcelona criticised the delayed opening on social media, stating, "It is not acceptable to inaugurate facilities with headlines if they are not ready when they should be. The families of Sant Andreu should not pay for the lack of foresight of the Collboni City Council. A nursery school is not a photo, it is a public service." The EBM Tramuntana is the 11th municipal nursery in the Sant Andreu district and is situated within the former barracks area, at the intersection of Fernando Pessoa, Manuel Muñoz, Teresa Boronat, and Passeig de Marta Mata streets.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by metropoliabierta.cat, viusantandreu.com.
