On Saturday 27th November 2010 Orihuela Costa was the scene of yet another inauguration by the Mayor Monica Lorente. The occasion was the opening of the Centro Deportivo Municipal Orihuela Costa (in case anyone was in any doubt the Mayor & Team PP turned out wearing tracksuits & trainers & if anyone wonders who the two smart casually dressed people are front left (i.e. the 2 not wearing sports gear) ...that´s 2 uninvited guests who gate-crashed the photo-shoot, Rosa Martínez, PSOE Councillor for Orihuela Costa & Luis Galiano Moreno, PSOE Councillor for Sport).
Both Councillor Aniorte & Mayor Lorente made speeches (in Spanish only, no translations.....tut,tut!) We were told that this marvellous facility is "ours" and it´s been provided for us by our PP Municipal Council).
Well, according to my sources that´s not exactly true!
The residents of Orihuela were promised a sports centre but for so long nothing happened. Then to help with the crisis & unemployment in the building sector came Plan E money from Central Government, some of this money was used to fund the building of this facility NOT your Municipal Council´s money.
Another thing that´s not exactly true is that it´s "ours". No, according to the sports centre staff, this is a PRIVATE SPORTS CENTRE. Certainly prices appear support this claim!
I undertook the research for the table below on behalf of Rosa Martínez after a resident had complained to Rosa about the price of renting a municipal tennis court for an hour in relation to renting elsewhere and also asked if this is actually a municipal sports centre having been told by the centre staff that it´s private.
The table below is based on information given to me by the Municipal Sports Centres in Orihuela Costa (OC CDM), Torrevieja (T CDM), Pilar de la Horadada (PH CDM), San Miguel CDM, Campoamor Golf Complex and Orihuela Costa Resort. I looked at the by hour or session price for members of the public for both tennis & swimming.
Per hour price:
Tennis Swimming
(per hour) Adult Child Pensioner
O/C CDM 10€ 3.50€ 3.50€ 3.50€ (per hour)
T CDM 4€ 2€ 1€ 1€ (per session)
PH CDM 4€ 2.30€ 1.50€ 2.30€ (per session)
SM CDM free
CAMP/GOLF 12€
OC RESORT 6€
I was informed at our municipal facility that I can swim for "free" if I become a member; adult membership 420€ per year, child membership 350€, no discount for pensioners. (Did they really say "free"?)
So.... is this a Municipal Sports Centre or not?
Great report Dee - helps explain a lot of things to me, an outsider. And I love the photo - well done Rosa and Luis!
ReplyDeleteWhat a charade! Who advised those middle-aged men to wear yellow? Not a good colour and certainly not flattering for men of a certain age with expanding waistlines. Monica you need to change your style adviser. You might look ok but the rest of the troupe looked awful. Oh and by the way, were the outfits paid for by Government money as well as the Sports Centre?
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well !!
ReplyDeleteWhy be surprised with what the PP party in Orihuela do ??
One big con !! They know its voting time again next year, so lets dupe the residents into giving us a big slap on the back for providing these much needed facilities !!
Will the expats be voting next year ??
A big push needed to start enlightening the expats to see the light and get this shambles out of the town Hall !
Thanks for highlighting this Dee, it just seems that as we start to think that we are getting something for our money we are once again disappointed. As a tax paying resident of Orihuela Costa, I can't understand how I can go to another municipality, no questions asked and use their excellent tennis facilities for less than half the price 'ours'! As far as the difference between 'private'(profit making) and 'municipal'(subsidised), must have got lost in translation. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDelete"Municipal" sports centre? paid for with your local PP government's money? for the residents of Orihuela Costa? Well that is 3 porkies!!! What a con...... Come on folks get down to the town hall and get your name on the electoral reguster before it is too late! things must change. Keep up the good work Dee - appreciated
ReplyDeleteThis is a PRIVATE SPORTS CENTRE.?????
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that there is nothing "democratic", anymore left with those PP-lot in the city!!
I heard just the other day that the opposition counseller for the Coast "Rosa Martinez", who used to sit inside the Costa-Municipality building once a week to assist foreigners with problems, had to bring her own table and chairs for herself and visitors, since there was NO office space made available by the local PP, (as required by Spanish law!!!!!)....Now the PP has said that NO private furniture is allowed inside the building, so Rosa has to sit on a bench????? Is this because the PP is afraid to loose votes in the next elections?..or is it just to harras the oppostion (PSOE)??? Or is it just to privatize the whole building as a PP holiday-resort??
Olaf
Great piece of research Dee. Orihuela Councils idea of "free" and "yours" is different from that of all thinking people.
ReplyDeletewell done dee we all know about the corruption in spain you are bringing it to light thank you.
ReplyDeleteGreat research Dee. P.P. councillors seem to have a different interpatacion of the words "free" and "yours" This is certainly a private facility
ReplyDeleteIt continues,
ReplyDeleteLatest news is that costs were 18E for a month Aerobics classes with no pensioner reduction: Now for january starting 10th!, minimum 38E a month no reduction. What was 30 E amonth membership is now 35 E.
All we want is to use the facility at a reasonable price as envisaged by theoriginal grant.
Must now be an election issue!
Absolutely right Jon, this is an election issue, it is scandalous! And of course we have the local football teams that still have to play away from the Costa because they can´t afford the tarifs for the all-weather pitches. I cannot comprehend how Monica Lorente could stand in front of us, the residents, at the inauguration, smiling, pointing her fingers at us, saying, "This is your magnificent facility, provided by your PP council, for YOU!" Which part of "MUNICIPAL SPORTS CENTRE" do Monica Lorente and the PP Coucillors NOT UNDERSTAND??? This is a facility paid for with central government money,a "municiple facility" leased to a private company. Residents have to pay through the nose or go elsewhere more affordable......so much for the PP providing a "magnificent facility for residents" or supporting the leisure pursuits & the health benefits of exercise for its citizens, not to mention the environmental impact as we all jump in our cars (CAN´T TAKE THE BUS CAN WE!)to head out of town to exercise!
ReplyDeletePutting things very mildly I believe that Rosa is going to require some pretty large Shuvels to move the offending heap that has for so long accupied the town hall.. go get them Girl ..
ReplyDeleteGive the PSOE the equipment! Vote! Get the right to vote, use the vote and completely change the political landscape forever!
ReplyDeleteHow many "rights to vote" remain unsolicited in the Costa, how many Costa votes won´t be used? The residents of Orihuela Costa have the power to change Orihuela FOREVER!
Every vote counts! Folks can register to vote till the 14th January. 4 days to go!
Dee Would you kindly have a word with the Age Concern Chairwoman asap as I believe there is something amiss here...
ReplyDeleteYesterday 20th Jan at our NS club meeting in the Los Arcos Restaurant in Torrievieja
The afore mentioned lady had been invited to receive a cheque from the club and give an update on the Charities progress so far this year .
The lady gave a very good report and is a charming woman but The last item on the Lady's agenda concerned the sharp removal of Age Concern from the office they had occupied for some considerably time in Orihuela town council buildings ..
Unfortunately the impression given and the reasoning behind their removal was all due to the opposing Psoe party.
Apparently the Lady informed our members the PSOE themselves donot have an office in Orihuela council buildings and as such they felt it was unfair for Age Concern to have one..
The PSOE complained to the Orihuela Council ...and that was the end of the Age Concern office ..... boom boom just like that ...
There were quite a number of members attending this meeting and how sad that this may well have been for some the first impression of the workings of the PSOE Party.
PS Thanks Dee for all your hard work and to the many others also ..
Mini2shoes, thank you for bringing this matter emanating from "the Department of Dirty Tricks" to my attention. I will certainly get in touch with the person you mention to correct the misinformation she has received. The PSOE supports Age Concern and the valuable work the charity does. The PSOE certainly did not ask that Age Concern be stopped from using an office in the Ayuntamiento in Orihuela Costa. Orihuela Costa has 25 elected councillors representing the voters of Orihuela Municipality. The PP led council does not make an office available for opposition councillors to meet with residents. (Residents should by law be able to access ALL councillors not just those of the party in control of the council.) Rosa Martinez, the PSOE oppostion Councillor for the Coast, asked that an office be made available to her. The request was denied by the ruling PP & this is why Rosa uses the entrance hall of the Orihuela Costa Ayuntamiento on Tuesdays to be available for residents. The office which was previously used by Age Concern is now occupied by Stefan Pokroppa and DEFINITELY is not available to Rosa. Sadly, the Chair Person of Age Concern has been misinformed and I am sure that the source of her information deliberately attempted to damage the PSOE. Mini, if you would like to talk to me directly you can contact me on 638 901 004
ReplyDeleteI thought that Age Concern was supposed to be a charity and therefore non-political so why is the Chair person making political statements? Has anybody told Age Concern in Britain yet? Perhaps they ought to investigate what they have put their name to in Spain. Age Concern run by supporters Of Franco-sorry- the PP!
ReplyDeletetrying to see any info about this sports centre - do they offer sports for children such as football?
ReplyDeleteWe are in Spain a few times a year and wanted an activity for our son.thanks