We often say that the face is the reflection of the soul, but this time I hope this is just an error of Spanish sayings. I refuse to settle for this dirty, abandoned and neglected Arrecife that embarrasses us when we have to show it off. I want to believe in the Arrecife we deserve, a clean, well-kept city that learns to cherish its details.
The definition of "parejita" (all neat and tidy) in our minds would be associated with white walls, lit streetlights, pruned trees, raked gardens or empty trash cans. All of them characteristic elements of any town on our Island. Of any except Arrecife, of course. Burnt-out streetlights, dirty walls, abandoned streets, papers and chewing gum in our squares or parks and deteriorated gardens which, added to dirty containers, traffic lights that do not work, deteriorated pavements or damaged furniture, are part of the daily life of the residents of Arrecife and their living space.
Gone is that young city with white walls, blue carpentry, whitewashed walls, manicured gardens, clean streets and renovated street furniture. That Arrecife that once proudly housed the largest artistic and architectural work on the Island of our most distinguished son.
The Plaza de las Palmas, the Ramírez Cerdá, the hospital square, the murals of the casino, the House of Culture, the old parador, the Chatarra, the Almacén, the Charco or the Castle of San José are just some examples of how our city, Arrecife, once conquered the gaze of our most international genius.
Let's pay tribute to Manrique YES, let's do it. Let's recover in his honor the city of his childhood and the Arrecife that he fell in love with. Let's value his work in the Capital. But not with pamphlets no, (or at least not only with them) let's recover the spaces that had the privilege of having his criteria and when we have them again as an artistic composition of this type deserves, THEN YES, LET'S SHOW IT PROUDLY TO THE WORLD.
Let's do it in this centenary that begins, in his honor but for the enjoyment of all of us. We deserve to recover our city for those who visit us but, above all, for those of us who live in it. Let's recover his work and apply his philosophy: white walls, charming facades, gardens that interpret our landscape and clean and well-kept streets and public spaces. Let's not dare to make bad copies of his designs in places for which they were not designed and, above all, let's be faithful to his message.
It is not difficult, I do not think so, it is not a matter of time or money but of desire and dedication. It is a matter of internalizing, neighbors and leaders, that this and no other is the Arrecife that we want and the one we deserve. The Arrecife in which Manrique was born, lived and worked one day and of which we must once again feel proud.
Neighborhoods with fixed sidewalks, lit streetlights, "neat and tidy" gardens and firms that do not stop being so. Efficient and designed public services that improve their planning and do not forget the Neighborhoods, but without neglecting the center. A comfortable and modern city that does not forget its essence.
Let's work on aesthetic ordinances that recover the modern charm of that small town of sailors, let's plan and execute the maintenance of a city with great potential and a raw material without rivals, let's facilitate the work to the neighbors who want to take care of their properties, let's take care of our Neighborhoods and let's all internalize that that should be the state of our city and that it is everyone's business to maintain it.
Let's do it. Let's Lanzarotize Arrecife! Let's make it neat and tidy and recover our pride!
Echedey Eugenio
Candidate of Coalición Canaria to the Mayoralty of Arrecife
