On the initiative of its founder, Rafael del Pino y Moreno, the Rafael del Pino Foundation's objectives include contributing to improving the health and living conditions of citizens. One of its lines of action is specifically aimed at people with spinal cord injuries. This includes the construction of the Rafael del Pino Sports Complex, located on the grounds of the National Paraplegic Hospital in Toledo.
The complex is a world-class sports infrastructure, unique in Europe. The civil works, which began in August 2008, took 14 months to complete. It cost €12 million. In addition to the investment in civil works, the area around the Tagus River has been landscaped and urbanised for a total of €1.7 million. The Complex has also been provided with the necessary equipment for sports practice, including the High Performance Sports Complex for Paralympic athletes, for an amount of €380,000.
With this project, the Foundation fulfils one of its objectives: to contribute to improving the health and living conditions of citizens. On the initiative of its Founder, Rafael del Pino y Moreno, one of its lines of action is specifically aimed at spinal cord injured people, and the construction of the Complex is part of this. The main beneficiaries of the Complex are people affected by spinal cord injury. With the construction of this facility, the Rafael del Pino Foundation aims to contribute to the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries, to facilitate access to sport as a therapeutic tool and to promote the social integration of disabled and spinal cord injured people. The project also aims to turn the complex into the first Special High Performance Sports Centre for disabled people in Europe.
The complex is adapted to the mobility and accessibility needs of people with spinal cord injuries, with the consequent technical complexities of design and construction. The facilities, designed by the architect Salvador Pérez-Arroyo, use renewable energies and have incorporated a system for recovering heat from the environment in the swimming pool area.
Relevant data:
Built-up area: 14,150 m2 distributed over four floors plus roof.
-Basement floor: (1,405 m2) technical installation panels;
-Ground floor: (4,640 m2) two heated swimming pools (25×12.5 m2 and 12.5×6 m2) and a sports court (1,200 m2). The rest of the surface area is occupied by 6 changing areas;
-First floor: (1,981 m2) main entrance to the building and the grandstand;
-Second floor: (1,484 m2), offices, gymnasium and High Performance Centre (CAR).
The access to the building is complemented by two sculptural ramps made of reinforced concrete, with a surface area of 1,500 m2, which form an escape route and a circulation route for the disabled and the public. The two ramps rise up on both sides of the building up to about 40 metres from the building's façade, giving it an outstanding personality.
During 2018 and while waiting for the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha to decide to call the corresponding public tender for its management, the Foundation has managed the Complex at its request and on its behalf. The XXIII Regional Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship, the final of the Spanish Wheelchair Rugby Championship and the 1st Parabadminton Clinic were held there.
H.M. Queen Sofía inaugurated the Rafael del Pino Sports Complex on 15 September 2011..