SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Dec. 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Pedro Martín, has signed an agreement this Monday with the mayor of Güímar, Gustavo Pérez, and the bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, for the execution of the restoration works of the Hermitage of El Socorro, which They will start in the first quarter of next year.
The signing ceremony also included the participation of the insular director of Territorial Planning and Heritage, Emilio Fariña, together with the first deputy mayor of Güímar and councilor for Urban Planning, Concessionary Companies and Local Development, Airam Puerta.
Pedro Martín valued the collaboration agreement between the institutions to be able to promote these improvement works that the neighbors have been demanding for years. He added that the action will focus especially on the rehabilitation of the roof of the Hermitage, which has been affected by the passing of the years.
The works have been budgeted at 563,813 euros, to be financed by three parties. The Cabildo de Tenerife will contribute 300,000 euros, 53%; the City Council of Güímar 151,050 euros, 27%, and the Bishopric, which will also take charge of the public tender for the project, will contribute 112,762 euros, the remaining 20%.
The Bishop of Tenerife announced that at the beginning of the year the Bishopric will put this project out to public tender. “If the deadlines are met, the works can begin in the first quarter of the year and in nine months we hope to have the Hermitage already restored,” he announced.
Bernardo Álvarez thanked the administrations for their collaboration and the investment effort of the Cabildo de Tenerife, which will finance most of the restoration works. The bishop added that the project has also had the support of different associations and companies that have collaborated with the Bishopric to help carry out the work.
For his part, the mayor of Güímar expressed his satisfaction for carrying out this action, which, he said, responds to a years-long request from Güimareros and Güimareras. “With these works, one of the great demands raised will be solved, such as ensuring the roof and preserving the Hermitage in safe conditions; an asset of important cultural and patrimonial interest not only for the municipality, but for the entire island, linked to the feelings and fervor of the people of Tenerife”, he added.
The insular director Emilio Fariña, stressed that this agreement “is part of the line of cooperation that the Cabildo maintains with the Bishopric to preserve the ecclesiastical patrimonial assets of the island and that the population can enjoy this legacy that is part of our customs and traditions”.
The insular director emphasized the work that has been articulated between the insular and local administration with the Bishopric for the recovery of this Asset of Cultural Interest with the category of Monument. “This is the path that we are tracing from the Island Corporation to cooperate both at a technical and economic level, in projects and actions that contribute to preserving the heritage assets of Tenerife,” Fariña remarked.
The first deputy mayor of Güímar, Airam Puerta, wanted to remember that when he was mayor in 2020 they began to work together with the Cabildo and have managed to materialize this agreement to guarantee the safety of the temple and its conservation over time.
