Plan for Municipal Sports facilities on the Orihuela Costa

Officers from FAOC, the Federación de Asociaciones de Orihuela Costa-Alicante, along with delegates from schools, sports clubs and other associations, met with council representatives last Tuesday, to discuss the Municipal Sports Plan and in particular, the existing needs, development and progress, of sports facilities for residents of the Orihuela Costa. The meeting took place in the Playa Flamenca Town Hall.

Although the councillor for sports was not at the meeting he did send along his deputy, Emilio Martínez. The two initiators of the plan also attended the meeting together with local councillors.

The ultimate goal of the plan is to provide Orihuela Costa with the necessary sports facilities for all age groups, including, exercise machines for the elderly and the provision of a Municipal gymnasium.

For this purpose, those in attendance were asked to provide information and suggestions on sports practices that are applicable to all age groups. They were asked also to relate their experiences and knowledge of the current demand for sports facilities on the coast.

FAOC produced a document with their first summary of needs to be met in Orihuela Costa, which the association will be completing in the coming weeks.

However, one important item not addressed was the reduction of charges at the CDM, Centro Deportivo Municipal, in Playa Flamenca, that had been requested by FAOC and associates, as it was not included in the agenda of the meeting.

For the same reason, neither was the question about the funding for sports investment on the Orihuela Costa addressed so it is still not known what proportion of the municipal budget, said to be 132,000 euro, was allocated to the Coast.

The council has taken a census of all existing facilities in Orihuela Costa, to which they have a commitment to improve and expand, which, they indicated, they are already doing.

They also say that they are going to study the FAOC request to open the sports facilities in local schools, in order to enable their use by residents in after-school hours.

FAOC said that they will consolidate and summarise the needs of all sports facilities that have been identified by their associations in their respective areas of action, and will submit them to the Department of Sports, so that the enhancement of the sports facilities on the coast can be improved to better suit the needs of Orihuela Costa residents.

The Municipal Plan was presented by the mayor and the councillor for sport in Orihuela a day earlier at which he said that his intention is that it be agreed by all political groups in the municipality, because “this plan is for everyone and for all, it must meet the needs of all residents “.