Icodenses will have an opinion on what sand to use on San Marcos beach

The survey will be entrusted to a specialized company and will be carried out through a web page, “although there will also be points where neighbors who do not have internet access or need technical advice to participate can physically go,” explains the mayor. In order to vote, it will be mandatory to be registered in Icod de los Vinos and be over 16 years of age.

This participatory process will begin with seven informative presentations scheduled between July 5 and 18 in the town, Playa San Marcos, Santa Bárbara, La Centinela, Buen Paso, La Mancha and El Amparo. After these informative meetings, in which data on the different alternatives will be given, the Government of Icodense (CC-Cs) hopes to launch the voting process between July 19 and 23. The results will be made public “between the end of July and the beginning of August,” according to González.

The mayor of Icodense does not hide that his preference is natural sand, «Since it exists in sufficient quantity and quality at the bottom of the bay of the beach itself (where there are about 16,000 cubic meters) and in a bank in the external area (with another 25,000 cubic meters). In total there are located around 41,000 cubic meters of natural sand in these areas. We may be wrong and that people prefer something else and, therefore, we have decided to organize this survey that, in addition, would allow us to have time to ask the competent administrations to carry out environmental impact studies ».

González assures that while the definitive project for the improvement of the beach is presented and the works begin, “There is more than enough time to carry out these reports that, curiously, are not requested to contribute a large amount of crushing sand to the terrestrial and marine environment.”

This survey will not prevent Icod de los Vinos, if the State authorizes it, from organizing a future regulated popular consultation on this matter, as was proposed in February of this year. However, the Government of Icodense hopes to know before the end of the month the opinion of the neighbors to avoid possible delays in this long-awaited work on the coast.

Francis González recalls that on November 26, 2021 «Costas gave the green light to the project approved by the Icod de los Vinos City Council in May 2020, which implies the possibility of having a beach with 10,000 square meters of sand at low tide . And with the necessary elements to prevent the sand from leaving; one hidden under the wall and another camouflaged in the Amarca area. In addition, it provides for the opening of the jets of the large spring.

«It also includes the setback of the fishing refuge for which we have already reached an agreement, judicially approved, to obtain the slope of the Yacht Club, which is between the road and the pool. And the future step under the club to be able to connect San Marcos and Monís », he adds. for the mayor, «The fishing refuge was the great blunder made in the 80s of the 20th centuryso with the future setback of this infrastructure, using the path and slope of the yacht club, the beach could recover the profile it had in the 60s of the 20th century».

González recalls that «at the beginning of February 2022 we discovered that Costas wanted the contribution to be crushing sand. On February 17, at a press conference, we announced our intention to request authorization from the Government of Spain to hold a referendum. Once the opinion of the Department of Constitutional Law of the ULL on the feasibility of the consultation has been obtained, on April 4, and the report of the Municipal Secretary, on May 20. It was taken to plenary session and it was approved to make that consultation, with the favorable votes of the municipal government, on May 31. Consultation that was already sent to the Government of Spain on June 7 ».

«With this survey we intend to know if the contribution should be natural sand or crushed. And even pressure the opinion of the Icodenses about the use of the ash from the La Palma volcano, if the technical and environmental reports allow its use, ”insists the president.

Since 2019

Francis González recalls that on July 25, 2019, a participation process began in order to publicize the technical project of the beach, for which 15 meetings with neighbors were organized. And it adds that “in view of the allegations of those who participated, including the municipal government, after the debate in two sessions of the beach council, it was approved by the Plenary, on May 5, 2020, with the only votes favorable from the government, the project that collects that the contribution was with natural sand. Between May 2020 and November 2021, when they gave the green light to the project, about 18 months passed.

«The project approved by Costas and the Government of the Canary Islands established that the placement of the sand would be in the 13th month from the start of the works. Currently, and since November 2021, they are waiting for the Government of the Canary Islands and Coasts to approve the execution project and then they will have to tender the works to award them to a company. Therefore, there is more than enough time to get the environmental studies and that they arrive in time to recover San Marcos Beach with the sand that is in the bay, outside the large pier or on other banks of the island, “he says.

In his opinion, “there is still time to obtain the reports and to avoid putting crushing sand, which will not require any environmental study, despite the fact that it will mean an alteration of the environment because they are arid from extractive areas.” Francis González understands that the neighbors are tired of the situation on the beach: «It hurts us all to see the loss of sand, but our beach deserves that we continue fighting to get it back in the best conditions».