The people of Icodenses opt for the use of natural sand to recover the San Marcos beach from the crushing sand and ash from the Tajogaite volcano. The mayor of Icod de los Vinos, Francis González, hopes that the General Directorate of the Coast and the Sea will support the neighborhood pronouncement and reconsider the “imposition” of the crushing sand that is reflected in the basic project that was approved in November 2021 .
The Municipality of Icod de los Vinos awarded the company HMS Intelligence a citizen survey carried out from July 19 to 23, and which included the participation of 1,080 residents – “a significant figure for a population of 23,000 inhabitants. There are many electoral polls with fewer people consulted, “says the alderman, of which 907 were considered valid (173 were excluded for failing to comply with any of the parameters required to participate: being over 16 years old and being registered). Of them, 804 defend the recovery of the San Marcos beach with natural sand and 103, that of crushing. The former are willing to wait whatever it takes to achieve it; the seconds, no.
The mayor recalls that the Icodense City Council demonstrated to Costas, with the collaboration of the Cabildo and during the past mandate, the existence of 41,100 cubic meters of black sand in the same environment. Specifically, 16,000 “between the head of the fishing refuge or large pier and the bathing area, as well as 25,100 outside Monis beach and near La Coronela.” The councilor clarifies that, “if necessary, the project contemplates looking for more sand in other banks on the Island.” With this, the mayor is convinced that the beach of San Marcos will reach 10,000 square meters in periods of low tide.
reaction and effort
Last February 5th is when the municipal government is aware that Costas’ option is crushing sand, which consists of depositing arid extracted from a traditional quarry with a light treatment on the beach. Francis Hernández explains that the immediate action plan included a Constitutional Law opinion from the University of La Laguna which, on April 6, confirmed that it is possible to carry out a popular consultation to find out the preferences of the Icodenses in the recovery of the beach. Saint Mark. In the absence of a response to the request for authorization transferred to the central government on June 7, and in compliance with the plenary agreement in this regard, the government opts for the neighborhood survey.
Once the election of the people from Icodenses who wanted to speak out has been made and known, «it is up to those administrations to which it corresponds to do their homework; we, in Icod, have done it”, sentenced the mayor.
Francis Hernández maintains that the Corporation is “aware” of this file, including the municipal opposition. He recognizes the alderman that the Popular Party «bet on the crushing arena and others have not spoken». He defends that the process developed is “legitimate and full of transparency.” He insists that this is a matter derived from the electoral commitment and the government program, but he understands that “many barbarities have been said”, alluding to holding “a Catalan-style referendum. The opinion of the University of La Laguna has not been invented by this mayor and he says that we have a Participation Regulation that promotes and endorses neighborhood participation. He who has wanted has been able to know what there is », he emphasizes. “We have defended it with more than 15 meetings.”
The future
The solution “does not depend on the mayor nor will it be from today to tomorrow. What was municipal competence is done: we recovered the blue flag for the beach after 20 years, there are bathrooms, accessibility and a planned investment of 1.7 million, but placing the sand is up to Costas. But we’re going to get it. Now there is a point of strength that is the endorsement of a neighborhood survey. It is time to continue fighting to recover the San Marcos beach with natural sand.
Francis González is satisfied with the support obtained for his thesis: «Nine out of ten respondents opt for black sand and four out of five say they are willing to wait the necessary time for San Marcos beach to have natural sand».
“There is still time, if you will”
Now it’s up to him to manage that what the neighbors ask for is applied. Along these lines, he recalls that “the basic project approved by Costas in 2021 establishes that the 13th month after the start of the works is the scheduled time to lay the sand.” Before starting the work, the license is required, the execution project must be presented, approved and the work tendered. “There has been time and there still is, if you will, to carry out the studies, extract and place the 41,100 cubic meters of sand from this environment on the San Marcos beach.” Francis González is clear that “it seems pointless to put crushing sand at a time when we all assume the need to act with environmental criteria.”
