He who doesn’t know is like one who doesn’t see. This isn’t just a popular saying but also the sentiment of those visiting the Barranco Grande football pitch, urged by the president of the Amigachos Teide Athletic Group (AD Teide), Isidro Negrín, to highlight the poor state of the ground. “This is the only defective pitch in Santa Cruz,” he asserts boldly.
At first glance, the sportsman’s concerns seem unfounded. The pitch boasts artificial turf and appears reasonably maintained, with maintenance staff seen fixing a floodlight on the field. But what exactly are the shortcomings of the pitch?
Born and raised in Barranco Grande in 1970, Isidro Negrín takes us across the turf installed in 2007 when these sports facilities were opened. “It’s been almost twenty years without replacement,” he notes, highlighting regulations suggesting a ten-year renewal. Pointing to a patched area on the pitch, he warns, “This is dangerous for players.”
Isidro, president of the club, which runs teams from juniors to a women’s team with over 200 players, shows how there are more patches than goals. In addition to the main goals, there are four extra positioned along the sides.
“Speaking the truth has cost me,” says Isidro, referring to the criticism he received for raising issues, coincidentally on the same day maintenance workers arrived to fix the faulty floodlight reported on social media. “They say they were hurt it got out, but I’m more concerned about this state.”
“More than 200 youngsters play here,” Isidro explains, expressing frustration that nearby teams poach their players after they’ve been developed.
Nearby, he points to a tall pole behind a goal where the protective netting is secured at both ends but flaps in the wind like a flag. “We keep losing balls over there,” he laments, directing attention towards two out-of-service goals due to broken wheels and loose netting. “I’ve had to repair them myself with old parts.”
Surveying the perimeter, he shows the lifted grates meant to drain rainwater, a hazard for players. He leads to the bench, a broken wooden board, where players rotate from Fridays to Sundays during the eight or nine-month season. Near the opposite end of the pitch, Isidro points out a hole near a drain where “even rats come out,” plus another patch where a goalkeeper might stand for the full 90 minutes.
In his bid to reveal reality, he fetches a plank and places it on the ground, demonstrating the slope under one of the goals. “Can you believe this is where a goalkeeper is supposed to stand? It’s dangerous.”
Two years out of service for other events
Isidro recounts how until two years ago, the Barranco Grande pitch hosted municipal events like the public participation event La Molienda, which was moved by the district’s councillor to La Estrella Park due to poor conditions. A concert was even held here the year after its opening.
Despite voicing concerns, it seems they have fallen on deaf ears. The council insists they’ve addressed the issues noted by the club, specifically the floodlight. No written communication on other faults has been made, however.
The sports department states that until 1 June, they were unaware of issues noted by the president, which weren’t communicated during a visit on 14 May.
Dealing with the club’s recent email listing defects like benches, goals, perimeter fences, poor turf and drainage, the department has addressed the floodlight repair on the day of the media visit and intends to continue with drainage work.
Plans for turf replacement
The department, led by Alicia Cebrián, plans a complete turf replacement, with infrastructure head Javier Rivero coordinating with the sports service to approve renovation projects, as informed on 16 May.
Frustrated with the lack of response, Isidro is considering organizing a demonstration with CD Tenerife’s teams outside the council to spur action.
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