On November 13, 2014 was completed for the contribution of more than 700,000 cubic metres of sand on the sea front of Santa Cruz de La Palma and the beach of the capital, as such, was set in the sight of all. However, in a few days will come summer and the locals and visitors, another summer, after an investment of more than EUR 25 million, State will not extend your towels or open their umbrellas in the urban section of the city to enjoy the sea on the shores of the Atlantic.
Beach remains enclosed by the metal gate (long rusty) that was placed, in October 2011, when began the work of the project of rehabilitation and improvement of the waterfront that is framed, as action star, the referred public recreation space.
To work from the beach, at a minimum, so can be opened to the public, once the modified pending formalize project is signed between the company responsible for running the work (Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas) and the Government of Spain currently functions, you are between three and four months, acknowledges theMayor of Santa Cruz de La Palma , Sergio Matos. The outlined document by signing includes the record of the damage in the North Dyke during the strong sea storms reported in 2014 and, above all, by 2015, as well as the modified referred to the access to the beach. In particular, inputs and outputs will be set up, along the Avenue, opposite the Châtelet, Baltasar Martin Street, old Parador de Turismo, street Apurónand headquarters of the Cabido de La Palma. Missing are budgeted at around two million euros.
The Minister of development, Ana Pastor, on the visit to La Palma the past five of May to sign with the Council an agreement for the improvement of the access road to the Roque de Los Muchachos, said that "there are economic resources" to finalize the work of the seafront of Santa Cruz de La Palma. "Resources economic, what is needed is to resolve as soon as possible all the bureaucratic and administrative procedures", said.
After the damage caused in the North Dyke by the mentioned temporary it is necessary to reinforce the breakwater of protection "with larger blocks", recalled the Mayor of the capital.
The City Council of Santa Cruz de La Palma, at a plenary session held on 16 may, unanimously adopted an institutional declaration which urged "the Government of Spain to comply with the commitment to this city and resume and conclude as soon as possible the works of refurbishment of the seafront".
Also requests "adherence to this statement to the Cabildo de La Palma, Governmentof the Canary Islands and political groups with representation in the Parliament of the Canary Islands, as well as the spokespeople of the political groups in the Congress of Deputies and Senate, and support the demand for our city to see these works completed in the shortest possible time".
The document recalls that "the remodeling works of the seafront of Santa Cruz de La Palma, an intervention of the Government of Spain with a budget of EUR 25.3 million began in October of 2011 and a period of initial execution of 18 months, which was called to improve the protection of the coastline against the pounding of the waves, and at the same time recovering the old relationship of the city to the sea through the" creation of a beach".
Underlines that "after numerous delays caused by the need to relocate the sewage pumping station and action of various maritime storms and this being an intervention of vital importance for the social, tourist and commercial revitalization of Santa Cruz de La Palma, the stoppage of the works is an urban injury that our city can hardly endure longer and which creates a situation of uncertainty that affects our economic development and future conditions" investments in our municipality".
The Association of helmet historical of Santa Cruz de La Palma, has also recently demanded "competent institutions that will expedite the procedures that correspond to continue and conclude once and for all the work of the beach of the capital". They say that "after five years of works and several deadlines for completion, the situation does not advance".
"We have five years suffering from a work that seems endless. There are many companies that have had to close their doors because sales have gone down again and again. Some shops are putting part of their capital and sometimes borrowing with the promise that the beach will soon end, and that will be a major economic shock, but increasingly we see further the definitive conclusion of the works,"explained members of the Association of entrepreneurs. "Throughout this time have been given different deadlines for completion, time limits that do not"
