Guanandi residents successfully block project to build mental health center on public square

A proposal by the Campo Grande administration to install a Psychosocial Care Center for Children and Adolescents (Caps IJ) on the site of Artemizia da Silva Lima Square in the Guanandi neighborhood has been shelved. The project, known as Bill 12.490/26, aimed to revoke a municipal law that designated the area as a public square to allow for the construction of the mental health facility.

Residents of the Guanandi neighborhood organized a petition with 400 signatures to oppose the move, arguing that the loss of the green space would negatively impact the community's quality of life. Representative Wagner Franco Abrão testified before the City Council, noting that the square is used by families for picnics, sports, and recreation.

Following the residents' testimony and concerns regarding the removal of trees, city councilors voted against the project. Some council members suggested that the mental health center could instead be housed in existing abandoned public buildings to preserve the local park.