The Platform Against Noise in Arrecife expresses its "discomfort and disagreement with the development of activities that are being carried out in the city center on the occasion of the Christmas holidays."
As they explain in a statement, "the location of most of the events in the residential areas of Ginory (Charco San Ginés) and Plaza de Las Palmas are affecting the rest and quality of life of the residents of those areas and the Valterra neighborhood." "The WHO dictates that exposure to noise above 50 decibels is very harmful to people's health," they add.
"We are concerned that the municipal government group does not consider that the location of the Navilán fair may affect patients, families, and professionals of the Insular Hospital, both due to noisy emissions and the difficulty of accessing and parking near the hospital," they point out.
In addition, they state that activities such as street parties, varied musical performances, etc. generate a "mortifying noise that violates current noise regulations." From the Platform, they assure that "inside the homes and at certain times, decibel levels are reached that are much higher than those allowed by municipal and regional legislation, violating fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution -articles 15 and 18-, Law 37/2003, Decree 86/2013, and the Municipal Ordinance of Arrecife of May 17, 2017."
The Platform adds that it requested to participate in the Municipal Plenary session at the end of November to "express the discomfort and concerns of the members, this request being rejected for not having the corresponding association registration number, despite the fact that all the procedures have been formally carried out in the Government of the Canary Islands."
"On two occasions, the Platform has requested to meet with the Mayor. To date, no response has been obtained in this regard. Nor have the acoustic impact reports of the scheduled events been provided, which the Councilor for Festivities assured us he would send," they affirm.
The group states that "it does not oppose the celebration of Christmas or other initiatives as long as they are respectful of the rest, the well-being of the residents, and the environment." "We do not share and strongly denounce that these events are held a few meters from homes, such as the Navilán fair and the performances in Plaza de Las Palmas," they add.
"We defend the rest and health of all people and all areas of the city, regardless of the number of residents who live in them," they explain.
From the Platform, they request the mayor and councilors organizing events to provide the Local Police force with sound level meters in order to draw up reports before the complaints of noise pollution from the events, whether these are organized by the City Council or private companies. "We request control, sanction for infractions, and search for locations where no one is disturbed," they add.
Finally, they state, "we expect a clear and empathetic response as well as efficient measures to alleviate these incidents. If we do not obtain favorable responses, we reserve the right to raise this complaint to higher authorities and take the pertinent legal actions."
