Expectation is so high that a second orchestra has been hired, and a specific security plan for El Tablero has been activated. Tomorrow, at ten o’clock at night, the first verbena post-pandemic, at least in the metropolitan area, since, also tomorrow, in the north and south of the island, there will be popular festivals.
The Acapulco and Tropi orchestras will be in charge of kicking off the street party in Santa Cruz. Yesterday, the councilor for the Southwest District, Javier Rivero, and the councilor for Security, Evelyn Alonso, presented the device that will be activated tomorrow for an approximate influx of 1,000 people to El Tablero. “The objective is to avoid problems for the town, so that the central area does not collapse due to the large influx of people that we expect,” Rivero said. To do this, the entire area of the town square will be pedestrianized, closing five streets, thereby increasing the capacity of the space. Although there will be no actual kiosks, the bars located around the square will be open throughout the duration of the dance.
Safety device on the board
Alonso, for his part, pointed out that “we will have the presence of the Local Police, some 23 agents, and also the support of the National Police. As of 7:00 p.m., parking in the center will be prohibited, as well as the frequencies of line 933 will be increased, to promote public transport.
Rivero specified that “the 933 is the usual line that goes to El Tablero, and what will be done is to increase the frequency of passage so that a second bus will be put on, which will allow 80 seats to be available on each trip. This will happen every half hour from the tram stop in Tíncer starting at ten at night, and the last trip will be at 3:30 in the morning. This line has stops along the Carretera General del Sur, so it will also cover the neighborhoods of Barranco Grande, Los Alisios and El Chorrillo” and the mayor insisted that “in addition, at 9:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. , the line will make two departures from the Interchange, and the 03:00 and 03:30 departures from El Tablero will also end at the Santa Cruz Interchange.
Toledo, Zarzamora to Capuchina, Centenillo, Geranio and La Era Cercada streets will be closed to traffic. As for the areas planned for parking, “it will be made easier to park in the new area of El Tablero, in the surroundings of Castaño, Palo Blanco and transversal streets, and in the area of La Gallega Alta, between the streets Bicácaro, Winche and its transversals” and argued Rivero that “in total, there are 750 parking spaces provided”.
In fact, “people who use the La Gallega Alta option will have Toledo street closed to traffic, so that they can reach the square by foot, with an estimated time of between 10 and 15 minutes on foot” and he stated highlights that “the other option, the new El Tablero area, known as El Fraile, also allows access to the square on foot, through Castaño street and the General Highway, or behind the soccer field, an itinerary that it is covered in 10 minutes”.
For his part, Ismael del Rosario, director of Canarias Music, pointed out that “for the orchestras, after being almost three years without working, it means a new beginning of a lot of work, since the summer is coming full of activity, if everything continues like this ” and added that “from not having anything in all this time, we started to have a lot of activity”.
