Comments on the urban devlopment of Javea
2008 Bulletins - I recently reviewed some of the old Bulletins and came across one from 1995. A stark headline announces Arenal Project Dead. It continues by highlighting the political wrangling that took place at the time. 13 years ago.
Tourism represents half of the industrial economic platform in this community. The largely lower paid and shorter term employment offered in this sector is not popular amongst many of the local workforce. The jobs on offer have been mostly taken up by itinerant seasonal workers or the foreign workforce. In the loosest format this is a repeat of the cycle of events that produced the rise of ETA in the north of Spain. (The Basque native workforce became too expensive so Spanish workers were employed.)
Most communities throughput history have developed by addressing their own problems and interests first. Thereafter the principle motivation for further municipal development has been mainly crisis driven.
The Gamble
Allocation of standard municipal facilities in Javea/ Xabia.
Since 1995 in the public arena we have seen:-
In the town
The construction of a social centre,
A new Casa de Cultura,
A music university,
The remodelling and renovation of the town hall,
The construction of a municipal library,
The construction of municipal tax collection offices,
The extension of the town museum,
The renovation of the old chemist premises (Vicente Tena), to an art school.
The opening of a separate municipal statistics office, the building of two town car parks,
The building of brand new municipal administration offices and police station (Not yet open)
The renovation of the town centre convent to a Day Centre (Opening before Xmas this year.)
The implementation, and continuance of the Old town renovation project.
The building of a Pelota Court
The building of a new senior school (Instituto)
The construction of a desalination plant.
The renovation of the former jail/ hospital/ chapel now planning offices.
The construction of two underground car parks
The renovation of the principal town square
In the Port
A new sports centre in the port area
A marine museum on the port promenade
A public health clinic in the port
A new senior school on Via Augusta
The renovation of the Casa de las Piedras social/ education centre.
The clearance of the customs building for a new social centre
The renovation of the promenade in the port
In Arenal - The building of a new school
Municipal arrogance, a deliberate and constructive disregard
Do you still wonder why the business community in Arenal feel thoroughly neglected, thoroughly resentful, downright angry and rejected by the municipal authorities. Far and away the biggest and most successful part of this community in terms of tourism, are you surprised they feel so mean? Certainly thereâs been some tinkering with the traffic, additional beach furniture (licence based and income for the town hall) and filling in (Against EU directives?) the Saladar marshes, the last natural coastal resource for car parking.
I suggest they themselves may be part contributors to this state of affairs. Their trade association represents few more than 30-40 businesses not the 200+ that are there. This should be by far the biggest and most powerful of the commercial lobbies. There are three business associations, Town, Port and Arenal. Both the port and the town celebrate municipal fiestas.
I suggest the 12 fishermen who live in Javea, have their own multimillion-euro harbour and work on the 10 registered fishing boats, carry more sway in the town hall than the Arenal traders.
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