It has been over eight years since a malfunction in the engine room led to the closure of the Puerto de la Cruz municipal pool. This happened in December 2015. Since then, athletes in the city have had to seek alternative facilities for their training. Overcoming various urban and technical challenges, the Insular Aquatic Sports Center (Cidac) has now become a definitive reality. The completion of the project is in its final phase and once it’s complete, there is no turning back. The countdown is on, with the target being the completion date in April and a hopeful public opening in the summer, as expressed by the president of the Tenerife Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, during her recent visit to inspect the facilities.
Dávila’s visit included the island vice president, Lope Afonso, the Sports Minister, Yolanda Moliné, the mayor, Marco González, and the councilors of Sustainable City and Sports, David Hernández and Alberto Cabo. They were joined by the technical team from the public company Gestur, who were responsible for the project’s design. Architect Lucas Delgado provided a detailed explanation of the renovations, which include a 50-meter Olympic pool, a 25-meter pool, a therapeutic pool, three training rooms, locker rooms, offices, an infirmary, cafeteria, and bleacher seating for over 600 people (expandable up to 1,000 seats).
The construction is being managed by the joint venture Acciona Construction SA and Constructora de Proyectos y Obra Civil 2012 SL, with a total cost of 13 million euros. For the sea-facing fencing, stones from the land excavation were repurposed, having no historical significance according to geological reports. In terms of sustainability, efforts have been made to mitigate temperature losses using a retractable cover, a pioneering solution for open-air facilities in Spain. Additionally, collection wells have been implemented to harness sea water temperature and the entire roof has been integrated with photovoltaic technology.
Rosa Dávila expressed her confidence that the revitalized aquatics center will serve as a flagship facility for the whole island and anticipated the forthcoming inauguration. The mayor, Marco González, remarked on the transformation of the facility from a modest municipal pool to a landmark center, forecasting the opportunity for local clubs to return home and for the city to enhance its reputation as a destination brand.
Lope Afonso echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the significance of the project as a tribute to the athletes and organizations that have contributed to the promotion of water sports on the island from Puerto de la Cruz. He and Dávila emphasized the dual purpose of the center: to accommodate the sports activities that were displaced by the closure of the old municipal pool and to provide state-of-the-art facilities for approved competitions.
Sustainable City Councilor, David Hernández, reflected on the project’s complexity and the obstacles that have been overcome for its realization. He underlined the sustainable measures integrated into the design, including the use of construction materials and the implementation of geothermal energy and photovoltaic panels, yielding substantial energy savings.
