Santa Cruz extends a hand to La Laguna to “enhance” collaboration between the two municipalities in pursuit of creating a vast metropolitan area. This was disclosed yesterday by the mayor of the capital, José Manuel Bermúdez, during the introduction of the I Ciudad de Santa Cruz Forum, which, in partnership with the Metropoli and Moeve Foundations, is scheduled to be held tomorrow at the Hotel Mencey. The aim of this gathering is to initiate a participatory and collaborative procedure, in which representatives from the Chicharrera community and political factions will be involved, to devise a future model for a city that is more sustainable, innovative, and competitive.
Bermúdez revealed that “I have requested the mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, to collaborate with Santa Cruz, as we are physically linked by neighbourhoods and, economically, we share much in common. Santa Cruz cannot be perceived without La Laguna, and vice versa; thus, the reasons to strengthen this collaboration and improve infrastructure such as the airport, port, university, and other shared venues are of utmost importance on the island.”
In this context, the mayor highlighted the significance of this forum as an occasion to address the future challenges facing Santa Cruz. “We must leverage our potentials as a capital and integrate them with the metropolitan area and the broader island. This meeting place was established to reflect on our city, but it is adapted to contemporary needs.”
For the I City Forum, over 40 social and political organisations have been invited, including public administrations and citizens, to contribute to crafting a more vibrant and sustainable future for Santa Cruz, ensuring that their views and suggestions will be gathered in a pilot questionnaire that will be prepared during the forum.
In addition, the Councillor for Strategic Planning, Carlos Tarife, stated that “through this participatory space, which will lead to further initiatives, we aim for innovative planning of Santa Cruz, as well as the commitment from social, economic, and citizen groups. The forum is the seed of the new city design, akin to the transformations undertaken in Malaga or Bilbao. We must make progress on significant challenges, such as the Opening to the Sea 2030 initiative, which, alongside the forthcoming general plan and strategic plans, will help create a more sustainable capital.”
The president of the Metropolis Foundation, Alfonso Vergara, remarked that “this forum is a unique opportunity to define a more competitive urban project and territory, to create jobs, and to establish a city that is more balanced socially and environmentally.” Meanwhile, Belén Machado, head of the Moeve Foundation, emphasised that “this project is for everyone, and its success will rely on collaborative efforts to ensure Santa Cruz achieves excellence.”
