After twenty years since the call for ideas to create a maritime sports park in the Añaza-Acorán area, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has approved the drafting of the project today at the Government Board meeting. The goal is to reconnect this portion of the Chicharrero coast to the sea, revitalising a degraded coastal area for the recreational use of the municipality’s residents, particularly those in the Southwest district of the capital.
The upcoming maritime park, with an anticipated commencement of works between August or September 2026, is estimated to cost around 16 million Euros. It will metamorphose the area into a facility equipped with natural pools, beaches, outdoor sports areas, shaded spaces, along with creating an additional traffic route that aims to link the maritime platform of Añaza to the Acorán urbanisation.
Santa Cruz Mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, informed DIARIO DE AVISOS that this is an “entirely groundbreaking project that we envision as a model of sustainability, both environmentally and economically, offering leisure, bathing areas, and an enhanced quality of life for the Southwest residents.”
He emphasised, “We took the first steps years ago by establishing a small bathing area with a solarium in Añaza, the only project approved by the General Directorate of Coasts. However, for the first time now, we have a technical blueprint for the construction work, ready to be outlined and eventually tendered upon completion.”
Bermúdez recalled, “We have been awaiting 20 years to materialise this project, but every attempt to take action in the area has been obstructed by coastal restrictions. We had hoped to execute more ambitious plans during this time, such as repairing the landing ramp, stairs, or installing a playground, but lacking authorisation has held us back. I have confidence that it will now progress.”
Funding
On the other hand, Strategic Planning Councillor, Carlos Tarife, elucidated, “Upon the awarding of the project’s drafting, we have a span of 18 months to blueprint the forthcoming Añaza maritime park and seek funding for the construction. The plan involves enlisting other public authorities, akin to what was done with Los Charcos de Valleseco, as well as exploring European funds, and primarily striving for a pact wherein the State Government participates, akin to its contribution of over 20 million for a beach in Santa Cruz de La Palma in the past.”
Tarife projected that once the service contracting for drafting the project gets the green light today by the Government Board, “It is anticipated that the project will be completed by October 2025, followed by the bidding for the construction works. Therefore, around June 2026, the project will be contracted out to commence work in August or September of the same year.”
The mayor pointed out, “The forthcoming Añaza-Acorán maritime park will be an additional gateway of Santa Cruz to the sea, and we are thrilled to begin work on this grand project, involving the residents in our endeavours to present them with the vision.”
Tarife states that removing the old Añaza hotel will be “another venture”
The future Añaza-Acorán maritime sports park is geared towards enhancing and revitalising the bathing area of this coast in Santa Cruz de Tenerife by establishing a novel recreational space. Hence, the City Council’s Governing Board authorised the drafting of the project, to be carried out by an alliance of architects José David Izquierdo, David Espejo, and Raquel Guanche, amounting to 448,330 Euros and spanning 18 months.
Post-approval of the document, Strategic Planning Councillor, Carlos Tarife, elucidated, “Moving forward, we must explore avenues for financing, and thus we aim to secure support from the Cabildo of Tenerife and the Government of the Canary Islands, besides contributions from the City Council and the European funds we intend to petition for.”
Regarding whether the demolition of the old incomplete hotel on the Añaza coast is a prerequisite for this project on the southwest coast, the mayor affirmed, “The two are not linked, as the removal of that structure pertains to a separate initiative.”.
