The mayor of Haría, Alfredo Villalba, has affirmed that the City Council already warned "more than a month ago" the General Directorate of Tourist Infrastructures of the Government of the Canary Islands that the works of the new walkway of La Garita (Arrieta) "was not well as it was finished".
"We asked for a series of modifications and they did not accept. In fact, they are waiting for it to be inaugurated, but they will continue waiting, because we are not going to inaugurate," Villalba pointed out, after the waves broke part of the new walkway, lifting several wooden planks. "The Government of the Canary Islands received the work but we understood that as it was, as soon as there was a strong tide or a medium storm, those planks were going to jump," he added.
After that, the northern mayor has affirmed that even the City Council decided to ask for "a series of budgets" to protect the wood from the waves, some works that were going to be executed with own funds "when in theory it should have been the Ministry of Tourism who took charge". "We were waiting to place it throughout this week with the intention that, at least in this last part of the summer, it would be used by bathers, but the storm came ahead of us," he lamented.
A surfer was hit by one of the planks
According to Alfredo Villalba, the first plank came loose a week ago, although the damages worsened during this weekend. "The planks were all day weathering on the beach and even one of them hit a surfer who had to be attended to at the rescue post", he affirmed.
Thus, the mayor of Haría has warned of the risk involved in the new walkway, remembering that "it is closed". In fact, on land there is a fence that prevents access to it and, according to Villalba, there is also signage informing that it is not yet in use. "But there are things that cannot be controlled," added the mayor, confirming that "there are many people who approach when the beach rescue service ends and use the infrastructure."
Therefore, Alfredo Villalba has pointed out that this Sunday the damages registered in the work were already brought to the attention of the General Directorate of Infrastructures of the Government of the Canary Islands. After maintaining that contact, Villalba has thanked this Monday afternoon the "concern and prompt response" of the general director, Fernando Miñarro.
“He has immediately made himself available to the City Council and has offered a total predisposition to, together with the awarding company and the technicians of the autonomous Executive, compensate for the damages caused by the waves and finish the work in the shortest possible time, as planned,” said the northern mayor.
The project contemplated the complete renovation of the walkway, turning it into a place of rest and walk, providing it with lighting, benches and a shaded area.
“We trust to be able to solve this unforeseen event as soon as possible and finally have a fully renovated walkway adapted to the needs of both the residents of Arrieta and those who visit us,” added Villalba.