The improvement of an iconic beach in Tenerife and famous for its waves begins. This Friday, Canary Islands Day, the Puerto de la Cruz City Council has started work to rehabilitate the surroundings of Martínez Beach, an initiative so demanded by the locals.
In a statement, Leopoldo Afonso assures that these works are part of one of his priorities upon taking office as Mayor of Puerto de la Cruz in August last year: “to return to our municipality an accessible, clean, and sustainable coastline“.
Years of waiting
The residents have been calling for the improvement of an area that is part of the main artery of the cradle of tourism in Tenerife: the Martínez promenade, officially called Avenida de Colón.
The problem is that it accumulates material brought by the sea and rain, such as pebbles and stones, which has made it difficult for users to enjoy the black sand area, while also being able to access the water with the shore in suitable conditions.
To achieve this improvement of Martínez Beach, cleaning and accumulation of pebbles and stones using heavy machinery will be carried out, following the guidelines established by the Directorate General of Coasts.
Two weeks
The execution of these works, scheduled for an approximate period of two weeks, will also be carried out during Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, mainly at night. This planning has been designed to cause the least disruption possible to users and to ensure better progress of the work, taking advantage of the low tide.
A major intervention pending
A major intervention planned for Martínez Beach remains pending. In January 2023, the Directorate General of the Coast and the Sea released for public information the project that unlocked the long-awaited regeneration of the beach 17 years after this state body first announced it would act on the cove to prevent the progressive disappearance of the sand and damage from spills and runoff.
Start of works to improve the swimming area of Martínez Beach, in Puerto de la Cruz. / E. D.
The plan pending execution consists of sand recharge and a new 100-meter defense breakwater. This initiative, with a total investment of 10.8 million euros, has an execution period of 20 months, which should serve to build a 100-meter defensive breakwater in the area closest to the Martínez slope and then a submerged breakwater almost 112 meters long.
To cover the large number of stones that currently hinder the enjoyment of this port-side beach, technicians propose the addition of about 132,500 cubic meters of black sand crushed stone. A huge amount of aggregate equivalent to the capacity of 22,000 cement mixer trucks.
Lack of agreement
The lack of agreement among the competent administrations – City Council, Cabildo, and regional and state governments – has so far halted the development of proposals to end the continuous sand loss of the last 30 years.
The mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Leopoldo Afonso, this Friday at the start of the improvement works of Martínez Beach. / E. D.
There have already been several previous renovations as it is a beach exposed to strong waves and runoff from rain. The current configuration of Martínez Beach is, in fact, the result of a previous action by the Directorate General of Ports and Coasts contemplated in the Martínez Beach Regeneration Project drafted in August 1993, through which a breakwater was demolished, the current breakwater was built, and sufficient sand was added for beach regeneration and expansion.
Martínez Beach is located right next to one of the most important tourist pool complexes in the Canary Islands: Lago Martínez, designed by the Lanzarote artist César Manrique.
Subscribe to keep reading
