Dismantling of Tómbola Football Field to Accommodate New Sports Pavilion

The Socialist Municipal Group, through Councillor Eduardo Rodríguez, has demanded that Luis Barcala's government clarify "how much it will cost to dismantle the artificial turf football field in Tómbola, to later re-enable it on the same plot but in a different location." They have also requested that it be specified "how long the sports facility, currently used by more than 500 families, will remain closed." All this to make room for the new sports pavilion.

Rodríguez recalled that this sports facility was inaugurated in January 2024, just 15 months ago, and cost the municipal coffers 360,000 euros. The socialist councillor asked during the plenary session held last Thursday whether it was indeed in the municipal government's plans to dismantle the artificial turf football field to fit the pavilion on the same plot. "The municipal sports official, Toni Gallego, remained silent," the socialists have stated. However, they clarify, "it was during the district board meeting number 3 that he had to admit that indeed, the entire facility will have to be dismantled to accommodate the pavilion."

"The lack of planning by the PP government not only causes a detriment to the City Council's finances but also leaves nearly 500 families without this sports facility for months. It is unacceptable to have planned the construction of a pavilion that now does not fit in the place where it was projected. It is a botched job that the tenth city in Spain cannot afford," Rodríguez pointed out.

The socialist councillor explained that artificial turf football fields have a durability of at least 10 years. However, Alicante's will have to be dismantled when it has not even reached a year and a half, with the economic costs that this entails. "We are not against the construction of new sports facilities, as long as it is done with common sense and existing ones are not abandoned," he added.