“I am extremely thankful, content and pleased,” remarks Hannelore Ottevaere, a resident of Costa del Silencio, as she reflects on how, over the past thirteen months, the community initiative established by this Belgian national has transformed the tourist centre and residential area of Arona, which enjoyed its peak popularity in the 1970s and 80s.
Since September 19, 2023, when Hannelore, weary of the litter surrounding the Chayofita urbanisation, began cleaning up cans, bottles, and plastics alongside her daughter, around fifteen local residents, predominantly foreign nationals and most of whom are property owners, have been volunteering twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) to tidy the area, trim trees, remove graffiti, and paint walls and benches.
The admirable efforts of this group of volunteers, primarily made up of women, have received backing from the Arona City Council, which supplies them with resources and assists in coordinating their activities. This has led to ongoing expressions of support from tourists and residents alike. “Everyone recognises us and applauds our efforts; they tell us we are angels and that we deserve medals or even a monument,” Hannelore shared with DIARIO DE AVISOS yesterday, just before commencing their tasks.
“Cleaning isn’t just a one-time effort; ongoing review and maintenance are essential, as everything soon becomes dirty again,” explains the organiser of these community clean-up squads, who calls for “greater social responsibility” to maintain a well-kept environment that has increasingly taken on a residential character at the expense of tourism: “People still toss cans and bottles onto the streets; waste is often found beside the road, and many say they do it to provide work for the street cleaners, which is something we simply cannot fathom.” Hannelore stresses that the members of the Costa del Silencio Clean Environmental Association, which has been officially established and registered with the Arona City Council, are volunteers who dedicate their time to this cause “because we enjoy it, and we observe that it creates a contagious effect within the community that is immensely advantageous for all,” she adds. Furthermore, she highlights their efforts to monitor clean areas beyond waste removal, “as we often encounter couples painting benches with phrases like ‘I love you very much’ and similar sentiments.”
Notable recent initiatives undertaken by the group include the cleaning and reclamation of an abandoned plot on Polifemo Street (next to La Ballena swimming pool), where the council has installed two goals enabling users to play football. They have also addressed the litter issue at the Punta del Viento car park in Las Galletas, where they await a fresh coat of paint for the walls, in addition to establishing a free open-air library at the old train station Ten-Bel, offering children’s books that users can borrow or donate at their leisure.
REOPEN THE MINI GOLF
Among the association’s upcoming projects is the revival and reopening of the historic minigolf, alongside the tennis courts, which “have also seen improvements, making them suitable for matches.” The forthcoming activities of this group of neighbours will be complemented by a charity calendar for 2025, to be sold at 5 euros, featuring “12 beautifully captured images of Costa del Silencio.”
More than a year after the day when litter began to vanish from the grounds and plastics were removed from the cacti surrounding the Chayofita urbanisation, Hannelore Ottevaere can proudly claim to have fostered an exemplary community initiative in the south of the Island; Costa del Silencio owes her a medal. Or perhaps a monument.
