Benidorm approves a project of 2 million euros to improve accessibility, co-financed by the Provincial Council

The Local Government Board of Benidorm has approved the project 'Improvement of universal accessibility and sustainability', which amounts to 1,992,000 euros and will be co-financed by the Provincial Council of Alicante and the City Council. The mayor, Toni Pérez, reported that this project includes six lines of action, one of them focused exclusively "on the comprehensive renovation of Elche Park", equipped with just over 700,000 euros. The rest of the lines are referred to as "asphalt, road accessibility, sidewalks plan, security and accessibility in municipal public buildings" and foresee actions "in practically the whole city".

The mayor explained that the City Council "requested last August" to benefit from the program of nominative grants from the Diputación de Alicante aimed at local entities for sustainable financial investments with this project. Last October 24, the Plenary Session of the Provincial Council approved a subsidy in favor of the Benidorm City Council of 950,000 euros, practically 50% of the cost.

Pérez thanked "the commitment with Benidorm of the Provincial Council presided over by César Sánchez", as well as "the serious and rigorous work of the municipal technicians" in the numerous calls for subsidies and grants to which the local government has decided to present itself since the legislature began and that "they have supposed an injection of supramunicipal funds for the most important city".

On the integral renovation of Elche Park, Pérez has affirmed that "it is the most emblematic work" of those planned for being "our first park"; a location "with its own entity" that "receives hundreds of thousands of visitors a year" and whose updating "will fill civil society with satisfaction" in Benidorm. The mayor has indicated that "after a proposal submitted by the Neighborhood Council" last year regarding the Parque de Elche, this action "also formed part of the programmatic commitment reached by the government and the Cs group" in relation to the municipal budget.

The project - which "many might consider as the fourth phase of the Paseo de Poniente" - foresees "maintaining the current appearance of trails" even though incorporating the same imitation material from Albero de Foietes Park; the installation of rainwater network - of which it lacks - to avoid accumulation of water; the reform of the ramps and access stairs to the beach; renovate the luminaires with 'led' technology and the gardening areas "conserving the trees"; fix with masonry the wall that separates the park from the sand; and to change the aesthetics of the promenade area giving continuity to the colored pavement of the Paseo de Poniente.

With regard to the rest of the programs, the Asphalting Plan is endowed with 681,148.25 euros, surpassing "by far the commitment committed" within the framework of the budget agreement, and with it, it will act on the avenue of Beniardá, with special attention to the section that connects with the first roundabout of the CV-70. The plan will also reach the streets of La Cala located in El Tossal and its base.

On the other hand, it will complete the accessibility "of the central almond of Benidorm", acting on the avenue of Los Almendros and all pending intersections; the avenue of l'Aigüera with the streets Hondo and Rioja and the street Spring with the Plaza SSMM Kings of Spain; and on Alfonso Puchades Avenue and Fluixá Street. This plan is endowed with 139,370 euros.

As for the Sidewalks Plan, which reaches 150,811 euros, the most important action affects the high section of Esperanto Street, the one between Gerona and Doctor Orts Llorca - both recently renewed. Specifically, it will proceed with the renovation of the 100 meters of sidewalks, as well as the renewal of the water and lighting network. The lower section of the street, the mayor recalled, is included in the remodeling project of the avenue of the Mediterranean.

Regarding Security, endowed with 179,412 euros, access control has been planned mainly at the most sensitive points; while in the Plan to improve Accessibility to buildings-which amounts to 48,375 euros- will reach all municipal public buildings and will focus on the construction of ramps and / or installation of automatic doors.

The project 'Improvement of universal accessibility and sustainability' has already been submitted to the Official Gazette of the Province (BOP) for public exposure for a period of 30 days. Once this process is completed and as soon as the authorization of the General Directorate of Coasts is available to act in the Elche Park, "the tender procedure will be opened". According to the mayor, "in the early stages of 2019 work will begin on all the actions that have been presented today" and that must be executed in that year.