The Islote de Fermina officially opened its doors on Saturday afternoon with an institutional act after the agreement reached between the Cabildo de Lanzarote and the Arrecife City Council, although it will be from 10:00 a.m. this Monday when it opens to the public in general. The music of the wind quartet "Atlántico" served to welcome the attendees.
The president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, María Dolores Corujo, was "deeply satisfied" to "return to the island's population a public space that will transform the appearance of the Arrecife coastline and restore pride to the residents of the capital of the island after half a century of bad luck and bad decisions. We attended the inauguration of this magical corner," said the president, "to make it available to those who are its legitimate owners, the population of Lanzarote."
"The Islote de Fermina," she highlighted, "is a living memory of this island and of entire generations of Lanzarote residents who grew up looking at the sea. It reminds us who we were but, from today, it invites us to dream about what we want to be. These facilities, this new center created by our immortal César Manrique present in every corner, is, at the same time, a space for leisure and recreation for the population; an attraction that improves our tourist competitiveness and a laboratory that will allow us to be protagonists in the fight against climate change through a permanent United Nations station. It is, in short, a demonstration that good results are achieved for the general interest when there is understanding between the administrations, and an example of the commitment of the Cabildo de Lanzarote with Arrecife to place this city in the place it deserves and should never have lost."
The president also expressed her gratitude to the workers of the Tourist Centers "who will manage this space with the experience and knowledge accumulated after more than half a century taking care of the work of César Manrique."
For her part, the mayor of Arrecife, Astrid Pérez, thanked the support of the institutions involved, including the Cabildo de Lanzarote, and all those who have contributed to finally opening this space to the public. She was proud that the great day had finally arrived, the day of the restitution of one of the most important spaces in the city, one of the emblematic corners of its marina, located between El Reducto beach and the Canary Islands Park. And she stressed that "it has been one of her greatest concerns since she arrived at the Mayor's Office, as she has always considered that when political responsibilities are assumed, what prevails is the common interest of the citizens. And it has been these citizens, the residents of Arrecife, who one day and the other as well, have demanded the opening of the islet as part of the modern city that we long for."
Likewise, during the event, Astrid Pérez stated that "many years of comings and goings, of negotiations that have not always been easy, of bureaucratic obstacles that seemed insurmountable, have been left behind, but in the end, common sense and the good will of the parties have made it possible to unblock a project of this magnitude to achieve the final objective: to officially open to the public a strategic and necessary space for Arrecife and for the island."
The dance group of the International Dance Center of Tenerife and a cocktail enlivened by Nandi Paredes were the brilliant culmination of the night.
Some details of the Islote de Fermina
The new center is located on what was originally known as Islote del Quebrado, or years later, Fermina or del Amor.
It is the result of an intervention conceived by César Manrique in the 70s of the last century that is articulated around a large 3,600 square meter pool that can be enjoyed soon, multipurpose rooms, a solarium, access for swimming in the sea, toilet and shower areas and a cafeteria with large windows, with a terrace of more than 100 square meters and a viewpoint towards the city's Marina.
The Tourist Centers assume the management of a space that will have free access and that, in the near future, will host a Nautical Sports Center and an exhibition and cultural activities hall, in addition to the aforementioned UN Climate Change Observatory.
The Islote de Fermina will remain open to the public every day between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
