The local authority of La Laguna and the Government of the Canary Islands have ratified an agreement to carry out the roofing and enclosure works for the CEIP El Ortigal sports field, alongside the construction of a covered sports pavilion at CEIP Las Mercedes, totalling 3.2 million euros. This initiative responds to long-standing requests from the educational communities and parents of both institutions, who have sought covered areas for many years for use during inclement weather.
The mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez (PSOE), together with the president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo (CC), visited the two schools yesterday. They were accompanied by the management teams from both establishments, municipal technicians from the Works department, and the councillor for Municipal Services, Fran Hernández.
Concerning the specifics of the projects, the city council provided a subsequent statement indicating that the budget for the roofing and enclosure of the El Ortigal field is €1.765 million, while the projected cost for the Las Mercedes pavilion is €1.453 million. Consequently, the total expenditure for both projects amounts to €3.218 million, with funding allocated as follows: 62.7% (€2.01 million) from the La Laguna City Council, and 37.3% (€1.2 million) from the Government of the Canary Islands.
As stipulated in the agreement, the city council is responsible for updating the project documentation for the CEIP Las Mercedes intervention and is committed to processing the necessary contracting files for the tendering and awarding of the works indicated in both projects.
The duration estimated for the preparatory actions and processing of the contracting files for the works has been established at twelve months. Furthermore, the city council is tasked with appointing the optional and executive directors along with health and safety coordination.
It was noted that since both projects can proceed simultaneously, the execution timeline will align with the CEIP El Ortigal project, which is the longest at fourteen months. Hence, the overall timeline for executing both projects extends to 26 months, with completion of the work anticipated by February 28, 2027.
Community Accessibility
“We begin the year with this fantastic announcement,” remarked the mayor during his visit to CEIP Las Mercedes, highlighting that “this is very significant news” as it not only benefits the students of both institutions but also allows local residents to utilise these sports facilities in the afternoons. Gutiérrez further emphasised that this agreement exemplifies “the collaborative efforts that yield results and enhance the daily lives of the citizens.”
In a similar vein, the president of the Government of the Canary Islands stressed that “collaborative efforts among administrations are what the public expects to address and meet their needs,” reminding that the CEIP Las Mercedes project has been challenging as the city council had to facilitate the roofing over a ravine at the back to allow machinery access for this work.
The vice director of the centre, Óscar Rivero, expressed that this is “news we receive with great satisfaction,” as the entire community has been advocating for this improvement for “over 40 years.”
