PSPV and EU-Podem Denounce City Council's Plan to 'Eliminate' Colonia Requena Sports Complex, PP Denies

Opposition groups PSPV and EU-Podem in the Alicante City Council have denounced this Thursday, after the Local Sports Council meeting, that the Government team wants to 'eliminate' the Colonia Requena sports complex project to place a social center there. Meanwhile, municipal sources deny this claim and insist that the facility is being considered for 'exclusive sports use', but under the umbrella of the Department of Social Welfare.

The same local government sources added that this proposal is 'in line with' the current management of the sports fields located behind the Juan XXIII Police Station, where activities of the Atlético de Madrid Foundation and the Interbarrios Futsal Tournament, among others, are carried out. The City Council has also highlighted that they are considering 'reaching agreements' with the residents of the Colonia Requena area 'to involve them in the sports use of this facility'.

Meanwhile, socialist councilor Eduardo Rodríguez has insisted that 'the PP intends to suppress a sports facility in one of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of Alicante': 'This resource cannot be taken away from Alicante residents with the excuse that the neighborhood has other social needs,' the PSPV reported in a statement.

Rodríguez believes that 'municipal officials should commit to maintaining the sports center and, at the same time, enable a social center that meets the real needs of the neighborhood'.

The socialist councilor criticized the Government team 'for agreeing to expel the parent-teacher associations from educational centers and district representatives' from the Council 'to replace them with representatives of private entities'.

'During the meeting, the predisposition of the Department of Sports to promote private initiative in the management of the city's future sports centers was evident, a determination that could not be challenged by representatives of Alicante society because they were directly excluded from the Local Sports Council,' Rodríguez concluded.

Meanwhile, EU-Podem pointed out after the Local Sports Council meeting that 'the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of Alicante will continue without quality sports facilities'. The coalition expressed in a statement its 'deep concern' over a 'difficult-to-understand decision'.

Additionally, EU-Podem warned that in the Ciudad de Asís neighborhood 'a sports complex is still missing'. In this regard, local government sources indicated that 'sports facilities will be improved' with the construction of a new artificial turf football field, 'which will be added to the current multi-sport court'.

'It is another action to continue the Sports Facilities Modernization Plan of the municipality, in which 21 million euros have been invested since the beginning of the current mandate,' stated the Government team.

Similarly, EU-Podem 'fears' that, given the date of this Thursday's Local Sports Council meeting, this meeting will be the 'only one' in 2024 and has reminded that 'it should be convened at least twice a year'.