The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs announced today that the Government of the Azores will launch "a global investment of over half a million Euros" for the renewal works of Ponta Delgada Youth Hostel, which will be carried in several phases.

Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to this Youth Hostel, Isabel Rodrigues stressed that the decision to remodel this accommodation unit takes into consideration the fact that it has not been subject to maintenance works since it was rebuilt in 1995.

The Regional Secretary stressed that this "building requires maintenance of some urgency, particularly in terms of water networks and electrical installations. In addition, the interventions are also intended to adapt the building's equipment to "the requirements of the operation of the hostel as support tool to youth mobility."

"Hence, the government will fulfil two goals. On the one hand, it will be able to recover and an important building located in the urban centre of Ponta Delgada and, on the other hand, will continue to provide the hostel with better conditions to continue its mission to support youth mobility," said Isabel Rodrigues.

According to the Regional Secretary, "the interventions include the installation of heat pumps that will reduce the electricity bill and enhance the hostel's environmental performance." Moreover, the renewal works will also "improve the movement of people with reduced mobility and there are also planned interventions in the resident's kitchen."

The development of the project and beginning of the first phase of the renewal works, an investment of 200 thousand Euros, will take place in 2015, while the second phase is due to start on 2016.

The Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs also stressed that the notion of accommodation at youth hostels is very different from other hotel units as it is targeted to the exchange between people from various backgrounds and nationalities.

The Ponta Delgada Youth Hostel opened in 1995. It has registered over 260 thousand overnight stays as of late September 2014.