After the halt caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, the residents of the Titerroy neighborhood have once again resumed the festivities in honor of their patron saint, San José Obrero.
For this reason, on Thursday night, on the stage located on Alcalde Lorenzo Cabrera street, the opening speech took place, which on this occasion was given by the neighbor, Hernán Lorenzo Hormiga. The speaker invited the neighbors and shared his experiences with them, which he described as "a journey through time" that began with the transfer of his family from Chile Street in Arrecife, in the early 1960s, to what would be his new home located in the Pio XII square in the Titerroy neighborhood.
The speaker, in great detail and viewing some photos from the time, described the entire development process that has taken place in the neighborhood related to its first stage, where Titerroy was separated from Arrecife "by large stony plains with some paths." Through there, the neighbors traveled and thus communicated with the city center, although over the years those plains have become a reference point, giving rise to more social housing: Sports City, Institute, School of Applied Arts, Library, Shopping Center, etc.
The speaker also recalled how Pio XII square became the meeting point for the boys and girls of the neighborhood to carry out the games of the time, which have nothing to do with the current games. Hernán provided many historical facts, such as the creation of the parish in 1961 and years later the construction of the current church building in the years 1972 and 1973. Over the years, the neighborhood was equipped with many establishments such as grocery stores, bakeries, hairdressers, barber shops, appliance stores, cafeterias, schools, and a health center. In his presentation, the speaker also kept his predecessors very much in mind, extracting some very curious anecdotes from them.
Hernán, who inherited his father's vocation for music, recalled how his beginnings were when he was very young and already participated in the Arrecife Municipal Music Band playing the drum. Years later, and with the help of the Cancio brothers, he began playing the keyboard in the orchestra "Los Ache" touring the different stages of the Lanzarote municipalities, continuing with the formations of other orchestras such as "Voces Nuevas" and Estrella del Sur." He also formed part of the tuna "Guillén Peraza", an initiative of Cristóbal León that a few years later would become his father-in-law. Later, he joined the parish choir directed by the illustrious neighbor Braulio de León Navarro, who later founded the San Ginés Polyphonic Choir. Currently, Hernán is the director of the Arrecife Polyphonic Choir where he tries to calm his passion for music.
The speaker was supported by the mayor of Arrecife, Astrid Pérez, and the Councilor for Festivities, Encarna Páez, who thanked him for his collaboration and dedication, valuing each of the episodes presented "very positively." On such a special day, his wife Tere, his children, siblings, many neighbors and friends were also present.
The president of the Titerroy Neighborhood Association, Ismael Montero, and the Festival Committee congratulated the speaker and thanked him for accepting the invitation to announce the San José Obrero 2022 festivities. As a souvenir, he was given a commemorative plaque.
After the opening speech, the children's choir "Maresía", from the CEIP, Benito Méndez Tarajano, directed by the teacher, Sergio Galán, performed.