“An afternoon of immense joy because after many years of work we opened the Youth House, a place that will become a meeting point for young people where they will surely spend unforgettable moments and forge great friendships.” This was stated yesterday by the mayor of Santa Úrsula, Juan Acosta, at the inauguration of the building, declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 2007 due to the uniqueness of its architectural values and acquired by the City Council three years later for socio-cultural purposes and which also It will house the offices of the Departments of Sports and Leisure and Free Time.
The president addressed them especially, to ask them to “take care of him and pamper him” because it has meant a lot of work time in addition to a total investment that reaches 1.5 million euros shared between the three administrations: Government of the Canary Islands, Cabildo of Tenerife and Consistory.
Located on the TF-217 highway, in the area of El Calvario, also known as ‘Green house‘ or ‘Casa de la Portuguesa’, opened its doors yesterday with a broad representation of the group. The general director of Youth of the Government of the Canary Islands, Laura Fuentes, also attended the event; the insular president, Pedro Martín; the Minister of Education and Youth of the Cabildo, Concepción Rivero; her counterpart in the City Council, Salomé Fernández, and members of the Municipal Corporation.
The construction rehabilitation and adaptation project, which is located on a plot of 1,460 square meters, dates from 2011 but after several bidding problems, it was not until February 2018 when work began, which suffered a delay due to a problem with sanitation, the pandemic, and the need to hold a new call for tenders for the acquisition of furniture and computers that were initially deserted.
In addition to the restoration of the old house -of 390 square meters-, and given the small size of its rooms, the project included the construction of a building on the adjoining plot in which the larger rooms are located and serves as access universal to the architectural ensemble.
Both are connected through large outdoor spaces and gardens that surround the old house. The complex has a computer room, a space for workshops, a meeting room, a youth information point and a multipurpose room for events.
“Spaces for young people have to be in privileged places, and this one, without a doubt, is, not only because it is very well connected, but also because it has been planned with a clear idea from the beginning: that something that is the heritage of the people, that is protected as a BIC, it is appropriate that it be a space to deliver to young people”, declared the president of the Cabildo, Pedro Martín.
Salomé Fernández announced that together with the opening of the facilities, the City Council has prepared a program of activities “very complete to give life to the house”, which will be announced shortly.
And in this sense, Concepcion Rivero He showed his willingness “to provide content to the Green House with the projects, courses and programs that the insular Youth area already offers or others that are deemed necessary.”
