News

Formentera's Casa de Colònies once again providing year-round service

Tuesday, 25 October 2016 17:38

Foto casa de colonies Vanessa Parellada, councillor of the CiF's Offices of Social Welfare and Youth Services, was joined today by Joan Ferrà, director of the Balearic Islands' youth institute (IBJove) on a visit to the local casa de colònies, a building that historically hosted children's educational events and camp-style activities and which is overseen by IBJove. Ferrà used the day's meeting to announce upcoming changes to the partnership agreement between the two entities that will allow the hall to remain open all year long.

Year-round use of the Formentera Casa de Colònies has been an aim of the Formentera Council since 2013, when the then administration of the Govern Balear shortened the site's operating season. Parellada hailed the change as an improvement. Additionally, Ferrà signalled a forthcoming increase in funding for maintenance at the Casa, with a total projected sum of €12,000. The 2016 allocation for such operations, €11,000, was already an increase from 2015 levels, when it stood at €4,115.

La Casa de Colònies de Formentera is located in the town of Sant Francesc. The building has a maximum capacity of 32, which, across the hall's four rooms, means space for eight people in each. It is equipped with a domestic-use kitchen, multi-purpose room, outside patio, toilets and showers. The Casa serves as a dormitory though there is no cafeteria service. Anyone interested in reserving space at Formentera's Casa de Colònies should contact the IBJove. Reservations are accepted for groups of 20 people minimum. The space is primarily used for training, school recreation or other activities that mix leisure and learning.

Volta Cicloturista Formentera is cyclists' chance to get their ride on

Tuesday, 25 October 2016 16:29

foto presentacio btt CiF sports councillor Jordi Vidal and Daniel de la Dueña, operations manager for the department, together with Jesús Ferrer of Grup Esportiu Espalmador and Nuria de la Torre of Trasmapi, unveiled plans for a mountain bike race around the island from October 29 to 31. BTT Volta Cicloturista Formentera (BTT is the acronym in Catalan and Spanish for “all terrain bycycle”) will take place without any interruptions to vehicle traffic and is expected to receive some 100 participants.

As organisers explained in a press conference this morning, the race will be split into three stages that are held over three days and will entail participating cicloturistes' riding 119 kilometres and braving a combined total of 1,463 meters of incline. More hardcore cyclists also have the option of taking part in another mountain bike tour, BTT LA MOLA. Already considered a classic after twelve years, the circuit used for BTT LA MOLA is more difficult and is classed as an eligible event for the Pitiüsa islands' mountain biking championship, dubbed Challenge del Campionat Pitiús de BTT. From the Basque Country's Guipuzkoa province, Ibon Zugasti will be on hand not only to compete, but he is also the event's special guest.

The Formentera Council organises BTT Volta Cicloturista in hand with Grup Espalmador Esportiu and Unisport Consulting. Organisers pledge the annual fixture will always take place in late October to ensure numbers remain manageable and participants can enjoy the perks of Discover Formentera in October. Councillor Vidal gave thanks to Trasmapi, the race's chief sponsor.

For more information and to sign up, visit www.bttformentera.net. Results of the race can be found at elitechip.com.

Works project aimed at tower's conservation

Thursday, 20 October 2016 15:11

torre des triturador 19 10 2016 The Formentera Council's Office of Infrastructure has announced that from tomorrow, Friday October 21, the administration will begin overseeing urgently needed conservation work on a local monument known as torre des Trituradors. Salinera Española Ltd, the leaseholder of the tower, will pay for the work. The Formentera Council decided to undertake the work, in the words of patrimony councillor Susana Labrador, “given the tower's serious state of disrepair and its value as a local heritage site”.

In 2012 the Council granted a construction permit to Salinera Española. “However”, explained Councillor Labrador, “the permit was never claimed and the building works never took place, the result of which has been a progressive deterioration of the tower”. For that reason, the Office of Patrimony pursued legal action in 2013 to compel Salinera Española to move forward with the project. The company, for its part, opened administrative litigation that is still today pending judgement.

Improvement works
The project would entail a temporary structural consolidation of the building to prevent its collapse, including correcting the levelling of the structure's perimeter, in five points and above ground level, to keep the tower's upper arches from falling. Cracks have been detected in the arches that not only seriously compromise their stability and the tower's successful conservation, but also pose a public safety threat. The project will have a €41,037.15 price tag and a duration of two months.

In compliance with Formentera's code of subsidiary regulations and the local catalogue of cultural heritage sites, the Office of Patrimony carried out an archaeological and historical study of the monument, a requirement given it forms part of Formentera's historical patrimony.

Legal background
The order issued by the Council, in which the administration sought to force Salinera Española to execute the conservation work, is based on a number of legal precepts, among which are articles 26 and 27 of Law 12/1998 [December 21] on historical patrimony in the Balearic Islands. That law establishes that owners, leaseholders or anyone else in possession of cultural interest sites must conserve and maintain them in a way that safeguards their value. If that fails to occur, the public administration can order the owners, leaseholders or those in possession of the property to carry out the necessary work. If those who are so obliged do not execute the work, the administration can itself oversee the project, in which case the owners, leaseholders or property holders must defray the costs.

History of the tower
Given the architectural and engineering elements it contains, the so-named torre des Trituradors in la Savina is classed as a historical building in Formentera's catalogue of cultural heritage sites, a listing that was adopted in a plenary session of the former Council of Eivissa and Formentera. The exact wording used is “element AI-S-5, fitxa núm. 737” and the site is marked for level A protection. The goal of the tower, built in the mid 20th century, was to improve upon the productivity levels of mechanised salt milling at two other local mills, Molí d'en Marroig and Moli des Carregador. The latter, the older of the two, is currently known as Molí de Sal and was also used to grind salt.

Ses Salines park logs increased vehicle entries in off season

Monday, 24 October 2016 14:45

mobilitat sostenible The Formentera Council has reported that from mid May to October 2 the ses Salines park registered entry of 76,415 vehicles not belonging to Formentera residents into the natural reserve, a 6,916-vehicle increase on 2015 figures. Likewise, they reported 145,108 non-resident scooters, an increment of 19,986 compared to last year. CiF environment councillor Daisee Aguilera said the biggest change was seen before and after the high season, an indication of improved occupancy rates in May and September. The councillor also asserted that a rise was seen in parking space turnover rates during the heart of the summer season.

The company that oversees vehicle entry into ses Salines, Ibifor, collected €878,108, growth of €62,124 compared to 2015. Of that sum the Council will receive €140,000 plus €78,175, a portion which is based on exact entry figures. The money is reinvested in park maintenance, which includes signage and path maintenance, installation of new signs and a tailor-made road cleaning and waste collection service. This year that service was staffed with an additional employee to steward care of the park's image and outreach around environmental issues.

In total, there is parking for 384 cars and 1,132 scooters at Formentera's part of the ses Salines park. This year was the first time officials banned entry of quad bikes to minimise impact and boost conservation efforts within the park. Furthermore, entry to the park by municipal and private buses was regulated to tackle rush hour traffic slowdowns. Heavy-load vehicles carrying products to area restaurants also saw their access restricted during peak hours.

Toilets and shade
Moreover, this summer Ibifor installed four portable toilets adapted for use by disabled individuals at the park. The Council assumed costs related to cleaning costs.

In addition, the councillor signalled a drop in the fee the CiF pays to the coastal authority, Demarcació de Costes, in return for permission to occupy the car park areas. The Council will also undertake the progressive installation of shade-providing structures for parked vehicles.

Open enrolment for kids’s farming course

Tuesday, 18 October 2016 11:35

horta infantil x eva parey 0071 The Formentera Council's Office of Agriculture has announced that from this Thursday, October 20, signups will begin for the third round of children's farming classes and continue through November 1. The workshops get under way on Friday November 4 and are scheduled to run through June. Participants can choose one of three sessions: Fridays from 4.00 to 5.30pm, Saturdays from 10.00 to 11.30am or Saturdays from 11.30am to 1.00pm.

Approximately 10 children will be allowed in each group, which will be established on a first come, first served basis and according to the preferences given at the time of enrolment. The introductory course is free and is recommended for children aged 4 to 12. Classes will be held at the Hort dels nens, Formentera's vegetable patch for kids located near Sant Francesc's sa Tanca Vella chapel. Participants are asked to come in comfortable clothes and shoes and equipped with a bottle of water. The Office of Agriculture will open a wait list for children who enrol past the established deadline.

Agriculture councillor Bartomeu Escandell said the decision to offer the course for the second straight year centred on the positive feedback received on the back of the two previous courses, one of which was held during the school year and the other in summer. The goal, he said, is for local children to be familiar with and enjoy field work: “These are activities that have a long history here on our island”, he noted. Escandell highlighted his office's mission of reviving the Formentera countryside. If the task is to be achieved, he said, “it's important we start early”.