Plaça de Sant Josep de Calassanç in Camp de l’Arpa is renamed Plaça de les Tortugues

The change responds to a longstanding demand from residents of Camp de l’Arpa del Clot. For generations of residents, the square has always been associated with turtles, an element that marked many people’s childhood.

The origin of the name dates back to the 1950s, when cement children’s play equipment shaped like turtles was installed. These structures became a meeting point and the centre of neighbourhood life at a time with few play spaces.

Although the original figures disappeared in the 1980s for safety reasons, their memory has remained. Today, a sculpture keeps that reference alive and reinforces the identity of the place.

The name change is not confined to symbolism. Some local organisations are already considering recovering part of those elements to strengthen the link between past and present.

This type of decision has a direct impact on neighbourhood life. It reinforces local identity, recovers shared stories and gives value to everyday spaces that form part of the collective memory of those living in the city.