The PSOE of Santa Cruz took yesterday to the Plenary of the Capital City Council a motion to recover the facilities of the swimming pool of the College of Delights, the same one in which the renowned Paralympic athlete Michelle Alonso learned to swim. The unfortunate state of this facility was denounced by DIARIO DE AVISOS and prompted the socialist party to present a proposal that went through urging the City Council itself to rehabilitate the pool, and, once fixed, proceed to make it available, not only to the students of the school, but also to the clubs and users of the municipality.
After the debate of this first motion (the PP presented a second) and after an amendment presented by the mayor José Manuel Bermúdez himself, all the groups supported the recovery of the Las Delicias pool, requesting, for this, the support of both the Cabildo de Tenerife and the Government of the Canary Islands, with which to sign a collaboration agreement that allows to assume the cost of rehabilitation, which, according to the mayor, could exceed one million euros. The plenary commitment also goes through, once the pool has been rehabilitated, making it available to the residents of Las Delicias.
And it is that, as detailed by the Councilor for Sports, Alicia Cebrián, only the arrangement of the main glass, which is not clear that it is recoverable, replacing the changing rooms and the stands would cost about 600,000 euros. “If we add to that the fact that all the machinery has to be replaced, adapt it to current safety standards or create a second glass, the cost would be much higher.” The mayor, who initially refused to approve the motion, added that to all this would have to be added 40,000 euros of annual maintenance, which she considered that they were not acceptable for the existing demand, especially when there are two sports complexes in the surroundings that also have a swimming pool.
From the PSOE, Elena Mateo, first, and Patricia Hernández, later, ugly that the excuse for not promoting the project was maintenance, “when only in advertising and propaganda their area has been spent so far this year 60,000 euros”, it ugly the PSOE.
Start from scratch
Bermúdez intervened to point out that swimming pools are the most expensive facilities, but also “the most socially profitable”, to add that “it is true that we need more sheets of water, but it is not our responsibility to provide them to schools”, pointing out that If so, they would also have to take over the construction of new sports fields or classroom modules.
He pointed out that it is necessary to pay attention to the technical reports, because, in the case of Las Delicias, “the poor condition of the pool is such that it is as if we had to start over. The cost could exceed one million euros ”.
The councilor insisted that “we are willing to promote a new pool, but we ask the Government for cooperation, and also the Cabildo.” The rest of the groups joined that proposal, including the PP.
