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Lolita, a 99-year-old resident. Shootori
Benalúa closes the year demanding its social centre

Benalúa closes the year demanding its social centre

Residents have been protesting for 70 weeks for this municipal facility, a historic promise to the neighbourhood

Tere Compañy Martínez

Alicante

Sábado, 28 de diciembre 2024, 14:10

Benalúa-El Templete neighbourhood association ends 2024 as they began it, protesting every Saturday in Navarro Rodrigo square in the traditional Alicante neighbourhood. For the 70th consecutive weekend, residents are demanding a social centre, a historic promise to one of Alicante's oldest neighbourhoods.

In the square stands Lolita, aged 99, alongside Ernest Gil, the neighbourhood association president, who is always at the forefront of the campaign for this municipal facility. "We only ask for real information; they only tell us vague things. There is no project, no deadlines, no funding," explains the neighbourhood leader.

A demand repeated week after week and year after year in the neighbourhood, and this year it is included in the budget agreement between PP and Vox. "The agreement states that steps will be taken for the social centre among others in Benalúa, but it is so vague that we do not know if it will materialise," says Gil. Residents have been waiting since at least 1999 for the construction of this facility.

The latest development came on December 16, when the City Council approved the change of use for the plot where an intergenerational housing building is planned, similar to the one in Plaza de América. This space will also have a facility use, which the government team did not rule out could be the social centre.

However, residents remain sceptical. "Until we see a sign on the plot with the architect's name, funding, and construction timelines, we will not believe it will become a reality; for now, they are just announcements," explains Gil. The president insists that social spaces are needed in the neighbourhood to serve as a social centre, as well as a day centre, library for students, and other services that may not fit in the future intergenerational housing building.

"We will not be silenced or give up, because what we demand is justice and a discrimination that we do not understand how they dare to continue," concludes Gil.

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todoalicante Benalúa closes the year demanding its social centre