The activity consists of a walk through the area where the Morro Grande Municipal Park is currently under construction, located between the districts of Brasilândia, Freguesia do Ó, and Pirituba, in the North Zone of São Paulo. The visit aims to bring participants closer to the local history and community mobilizations that have shaped the struggle for the establishment of this public space, a significant environmental, historical, and cultural heritage site for the region.
Located in a remnant of Atlantic Forest, the over 600,000 m² site boasts springs and rugged topography, affording views of the entire surrounding area. The large central void, a result of mineral exploration at the now-defunct Morro Grande Quarry, was transformed into a lake and, more recently, into a subway maneuvering yard. Old buildings still stand on the site, legacy of the quarry's operational period, such as the Santa Clara de Assis Chapel, the Weaving Mill, the movie theater, and the workers' housing. Congo Road—currently Elisio Teixeira Leite Avenue—adjacent to the park, also carries a memory of enslaved people who came to the region. This architectural, landscape, and intangible complex is present in the collective memory of the territory.
Morro Grande Park is listed as an urban park under planning in the Strategic Master Plan of the City of São Paulo (Law 16.050/2014), and in June 2023, the Public Utility Decree was signed, providing for the expropriation of the land for acquisition by the municipality. This milestone reinforces the importance of local mobilizations that, over the years, have pressured the government to implement the project and protect it from invasions and environmental crimes, to which the area is subject. The park project is under development and plans a final participatory workshop later this year.
The Instituto A Cidade Precisa de Você invites you, with the support of the Movement in Defense of Morro Grande Park and Memories of Morro Grande, to get to know the place in its environmental, social and cultural dimensions, highlighting the power of co-creation and citizen mobilization in the construction of free and collective spaces in the city.
Free
Vacancies: 15
Meeting point for the start of the walk: R. Valêncio Augusto de Barros Filho, 829 – Sítio Morro Grande, São Paulo (Headquarters of the Movement in Defense of Morro Grande Park).
Registration:
ATTENTION: This activity is for adults over 18 years of age only. You will be required to sign a liability waiver, as you may be accessing trails, ruins, and paths with restricted accessibility.
We recommend wearing appropriate clothing and footwear for walking, sun protection, a raincoat (if bad weather is expected) and water.
Registrations must be made by email: projetos@acidadeprecisa.org
Send: name, age, telephone number and inform if you have any specific accessibility needs.
Selection will be made in order of registration.
Registration will be open until October 1st, as long as there are spaces available.