NEVER OBTAINED AN ACTIVITY LICENSE FOR BEING ON RUSTIC LAND

A nursery without a license closes in Arrecife: "The City Council allowed us, verbally, to open"

It never obtained an activity license for being on rustic land. The City Council is now forcing them to close and some parents have started a signature campaign against the decision. "I understand the mayor, there is no way to give it a legal way out," admits the owner?

August 29 2016 (14:40 WEST)
An unlicensed daycare center closes in Arrecife: The City Council verbally allowed us to open
An unlicensed daycare center closes in Arrecife: The City Council verbally allowed us to open

The 'La casita de mi abuela' (My Grandmother's Little House) nursery in Arrecife will close this Wednesday. This center located in the Los Diseminados area is located on rustic land, so it lacks a municipal license and now the City Council has ordered its closure. Parents of some of the students have started a signature campaign criticizing the decision. Meanwhile, its owner, Aurelio Cerdán Almansa, resigns himself. "I understand the mayor, there is no way to give it a legal way out," he admits, pointing out that, although he "appreciates" the initiative, he has remained "on the sidelines" of that signature campaign. Cerdán explains, however, that he started the nursery because he obtained "verbal" permission from the former mayor, now deceased, Cándido Reguera. "Before in Lanzarote things worked like this."

This father explains that the center opened a little more than 6 years ago, after he and his partner invested about 150,000 euros in the project. According to him, when they applied for the license they discovered that "it was unfeasible" for them to be given it, "because on rustic land that license could not be granted for a business." "We all missed it, me first, because the truth is that I didn't know the subject, but especially the engineer and other technicians, not from the City Council but private ones, we missed the detail that the area is rustic and it couldn't be...", he told La Voz. Until then, they had obtained the "totally favorable" approval of Education and also requested the necessary inspection from Health, but Cerdán points out that "everything is linked" to the City Council's license and the process was "stopped" at that point. "That's where the ordeal began."

Cerdán points out that, when the license was denied, they went to the Arrecife City Council and spoke "with the mayor at the time, who was Cándido Reguera." He, according to him, allowed them to continue despite that impediment. "They allowed us to start with the hope that the land classification would change soon, but all verbally. Verbally at all times, but they told us: don't worry, work and let's see how we can shape this." Thus, the owner of this center emphasizes that they looked for "alternatives." "We went to the City Council and that was the alternative that was given to us: do it this way and let's see what solution we can give it. Time has passed and we have come this far." And it is that, as he points out, "the land does not change" and "it has not been possible" for the nursery to obtain a license, so it will close this Wednesday.

 

"It hasn't been a secret"


Aurelio Cerdán explains that "about 5 months ago" he began to receive requirements from the City Council. According to him, everything started after the request of a father who asked the City Council to place speed bumps on the street of the nursery so that vehicles would circulate more slowly. As a result of that, the City Council began to "send letters", first indicating that "we apply for a license" and then that "we close". But, "previously, nothing."

"We have been working, they have known that we were working and nothing. It hasn't been a secret," Cerdán emphasizes, who affirms that in these years they have had "all kinds of clientele", including "people from the City Council." However, the owner of this nursery assures that he "understands" the decision that the City Council has made, although he also points out that he "would have liked them to look for another type of different license, I don't know, in a rural area like there are hotels, farms and things like that."

"I don't look for culprits or blame anyone, me first because the mistake was ours for not knowing that on that land it couldn't be done," says Cerdán, who emphasizes that he has spoken "personally" with the mayor, Eva de Anta, and understands her decision. "She has explained to me 'Aurelio, you know that we have tried to help you, but there is no way to give it a legal way out'. I, as I have understood it, what am I going to do, I am not going to start kicking, and I have explained it to the parents. This is not a matter of making noise, it is a matter of if it cannot be done, it cannot be done," he says.

Thus, Aurelio Cerdán explains that he "greatly appreciates" the initiative of the parents, who have collected 76 signatures on Change.org, because "it is a recognition of our work of these years." He also alludes to the indignation of the parents because there are "hotels" and "houses of politicians" in similar situations. However, he adds that he has not "joined" the campaign and has "remained on the sidelines" because he has "more than clear that there is no other." "Now comes the moment when they say that we have to close and I logically don't see beyond reality. I don't intend to allow me what is not legal or much less. I abide by the law, with sorrow, yes, but I close and that's it."

 

Asks for "more facilities" to open centers


As he has explained to La Voz, he is already looking for other places where he can open a nursery again with the same philosophy. And it is that, according to Cerdán himself and also stated in the writing of the collection of signatures, the parents are "delighted" with the model. "I opened the nursery as a father, with all the shortcomings that I understood we needed, hence that wide schedule, that flexibility, that transparency that parents arrive and enter quietly, each person with their code, etcetera, etcetera," explains the owner of this nursery, who is the father of 6 children.

Based on that, he has started looking for a place to open a new center, although he considers that it is "practically impossible" to achieve the measures established by the regulations. "There must be 3 classrooms, one per age, of 30 meters minimum, a multipurpose classroom of 50 meters and patios for a total of 100 meters," he points out, while emphasizing that he considers these criteria "much more important" than the classification of the land.

Aurelio Cerdán considers that the model he has been implementing is the reason why the closure is having "so much impact" and the parents are "a little rebellious." "We understand that what is offered to children in terms of nature, fresh air, free of acoustic pollution, etcetera, is very important. There should be more facilities so that anyone who wants to do something like that can do it," he defends.

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