Grandella - a movie set
28 August
Access to Granadella cove will be closed on 7th and 8th of September so that the area can be used as a location for the movie "The Cold Light of Day", starring Henry Cavall, Bruce Willis and Sigorney Weaver. Local extras were auditioned on Friday. The film will be released in 2011.
Delays in repairs to San Bartolome Church acknowledged
August 28th
The Director General of Heritage has acknowledged that there are delays in the repair works to San Bartolome Church, announced some 4 years ago. The job was to have been financed by the Valencia Government and the Caja Madrid Foundation, which is having problems. It seems that plans for the repairs are still being drawn up in Alicante. From XAD: Patrimonio...
Local artists and lovers of culture draw up a Cultural Manifesto for Xàbia
August 28th
A group of local artists, businesses and culture aficionados have come together, calling themselves "Asociación XÀBIA CULTURAL". They are concerned by the poor state of cultural activities/events in Xàbia. They have prepared a manifesto to circulate all associations in Xàbia, in the hope that their concerns will strike a common chord and that they can count on the support of other associations in trying to improve the cultural scene in Xàbia. They are completely non-political and wish to work with the Culture Department in the Town Hall to improve things. A meeting is to be held at 9.00pm on 1st September evening in the Social Centre (Old Town) to which everyone interested is invited to come and sign the manifesto. See: Cultural Manifesto for full text of manifesto in English.
The two cheapest tenders for the Frechinal Works rejected by the Town Hall
August 27th
The Town Hall has rejected tenders for the Frechinal barranco works from Constructora San Jose and Corsan-Corviam Construction because they are too cheap. The cost estimated by the Town Hall technicians is €2,150,000 while the two companies put in bids at €1,050,000 and € 1,058,927 respectively. The Town Hall asked the tenderers to justify the low bids, which could be the prelude to asking for expensive works modifications after winning the contract. Alternatively the Town Hall's pricing could be too high. Normal practice elsewhere is to employ the services of a Consulting Engineer who would prepare a tight contract and "Bill of Quantities" , a document in which materials, parts, and labour (and their costs) are itemized. It also details the terms and conditions of the contract and itemises all work to enable a contractor to price the work for which he or she is bidding. Such a document would quickly identify pricing details (from XAD: Xàbia rechaza....
Residents of Soberana and Puchol areas concerned about proposals to re-divide land.
August 25th
The Consultative document of the proposed new General Town Plan (PGOU) outlines a redivision of the land in the Soberana and Puchol areas to make way for a 14 metre wide northern bypass for the town. Soberana is an urban area, but has a rural flavour which has escaped the urban boom. Although the owners are in principle in agreement with the idea of a northern ring road (which appears in the 1990 PGOU as a 10m wide road) , they do not agree with the new proposal which will affect some 80 families, the forced sale of land and considerable financial outlay. Most political parties are in support of the Soberana residents and are seeking technical advice. From XAD: Los Vecinos se oponen.....
Xàbia companies invited to a conference on renewable energy for households
August 25th
On October 23rd, Xàbia will be holding a conference and exhibition on renewable energy options for the home. Local companies specialising in this area have been invited to participate. This initiative was put forward by the Environment Group pf the local Agenda21 programme. Exhibition spaces will be 4.5mx3.8m and 3.8m x 3m. Interested businesses should call: 661188876 (From Press release)
Socialists accuse ruling coalition of "B Movie Management"
August 24th
The PSPV of Xàbia has listed a series of management blunders in Xàbia this summer: a) Arenal congestion - made worse by the funneling of traffic along the Avenida de la Libertad b) Inaction on remedial works for the Caleta landslide c) Blowing the youth budget on a summer fiesta, leaving the Arenal without the popular ( and cheaper) summer beach cinema d) Starting the Tosalet Barranco works in high summer (according to Socialist spokesman, Jose Chulvi, all external funding for this has been available since March) From XAD: El PSPV tacha....
Storm drains installed in the Thiviers area
August 24th
The Town Hall has installed 350m of storm drains in the Historiador Palau and Cronista Figueres Pachego street areas. The cost, €178,000 is covered by the State Fund for Employment and local Sustainability. Other works under this fund are repairs to the sewerage system in the Camí de Frechinal.
Swift action nips small fire in the bud
August 23rd
A small fire on the slope below Xàbia's emblematic windmills was quickly smothered by local fire services. A helicopter made a number of water-dousing passes and the fire was extinguished within 30 mins without endangering nearby houses or the adjoining Montgó Natural Park. Fire services are on high alert at present, especially because of high summer temperatures. From XAD:Un conato...
Residents of Toscal ask for speed restrictions
August 20th
The works to channel the Tosalet barranco have created traffic diversions to previously quiet suburban roads, with cars treating them as if they were highways. Residents of Calle Tomillo, which has been affected in this way met with the mayor to ask for a 20kmhr speed limit on their street, and to recommend that if motorists want to get to the Guardia area, they should go via the Portitxol road. From XAD: Los vecinos de Toscal piden...
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British Consulate and Diputación de Alicante to set up directory of services
August 21st
British Ambassador to Spain, Giles Paxman, and President of the Diputación of Alicante, Joaquín Ripoll, today announced a new initiative, an online Partnership Directory, to help British nationals in the Alicante province. A growing demand for welfare assistance for British people in the Alicante region is being met by an innovative new partnership between the British consulate and local partners in the region. The launch of a new online directory of services and a joint work programme between the Diputación de Alicante, the British Consulate, and local organisations like as Age Concern, the Royal British Legion and HELP is set to make a real difference for British people experiencing difficulties. For more see: Leader - BritishConsulate and Diputación de Alicante Join Forces
Xàbia visual Week kicks off 26th, 27th, 28th August
An independent group of artists and musicians are launching a "a participatory and experiential encounter fusing visual arts and cultural development in which the fine arts, graphic design, photography, sculpture, architecture, computer graphics, fashion , music, and theatre will come together. There will be simultaneous events in all three urban centres (Old Town, Arenal and Port) of the weekend of 26th, 27th, 28th August. For more see: http://www.xabiavisualweek.com (From press release). Details to follow.
Binge Drinking hijaks La Plana
19 August
Last weekend, hundreds of young people gathered on La Plana to have a "botellón", a binge drinking party. Cars were parked all over the place and the local police had to cut off access to the road and organise the removal of badly parked cars, causing great inconvenience to local residents. These party-goers were nothing to do with the "Hacienda" night club in the area, but had their open air all night party in the protected conservation area. The local police will be carrying out a repeat control operation this weekend. From Las Provincias: El botellón toma el Montgó ...
Remedial Works for the Port Landslide to start "soon"
18 August
Owners of the properties teetering on the edge of the landslip behind the Club Nautico have expressed their heightened concern following renewed landslips after the recent unseasonal rain. They were treated to a visit by two technicians from the Department of Infrastructure, who recommeended that they leave their homes as soon as possible and that the road to the Club Nautico should be closed because of the landslide risk. The Town Hall later announced that the remedial works would begin "soon". According to other sources, the start date is November… after the rainy season. From XAD: Las Obras para... and Las Provincias: Xàbia aconsejar desalojar... See alsl article in English language press: RTN - Hanging on
Early rains hit Xabia
Friday 13th August
From 1.30 pm the weather forecast orange alert was confirmed with heavy rain that lasted just over half an hour. Meteoxabia recorded 35 litres in the Old Town, 33.2 in the Port, while up to 50 litres were recorded in the IES 1 Secondary school area . The storm , traveling from north to south, had already downloaded 69 and 55 litres in Cullera and Gandía. Although the storm was brief, it was intense , attaining 250.4 l / h in the Port and 177 l / h in the Old Town. More is still to come. Temperatures also fell, being as low as 19 degrees during the storm. From XAD. This August is the wettest on record.
Two fires leave Arenal without electricity
August 12th
Coincident with the thunderstorm on Tuesday, two fires in electrical boxes left 20 premises on the Arenal without electricity until the following day. Hiberdrola declined to accept any responsibility stating that the boxes in question were very old and not designed to handle the load of all the air conditioners currently installed. There were also two fires in the Retoria area aDos incendios.....nd some wind damage. From XAD:
Autistic child wins fight to go to summer school
August 12
The father of the autistic child "Sol" who was denied a place at summer school (see July story) has been told that a suitably qualified carer is now working at the school, and that Sol can now join the other children. The father, Fabian Reig is not sure who is responsible for this change of heart; the Town Hall or the company running the school, but he hopes this incident will act as an inspiration to other parents to not be passive, but fight for the rights of their children. From XAD:La nina autista..
17 companies tender to build new Port library
August 12th
The Town Hall has received 17 tenders for the construction of a new municipal library in the Port. The building, funded by the Valencian Government's "Plan de Confianza" is budgeted at €1,032,982 and will be located on the car park area next to the Port Health Centre. From XAD: 17 empresas...
Javea … playground of the rich and famous (???)
August 8th
In a slightly surreal article, Las Provincias paints Javea / Xabia as a hotspot for celebrity spotting, using the glowing terms normally reserved for Hello Magazine pieces on San Trop and Monte Carlo. Rich and (in)famous from screen, sport and business apparently frolick in the waves. See: Veraneo entre famosos....
Nueva a Javea posts General Plan documentation on the Web
August 7th
Nueva Javea have posted all the documentation relating to the "Consultative Document" of Xabia's new general town plan on their website. There are around 200 files. See link on http://www.nuevajavea.com/
Works to channel the Tosalet barranco to begin on Monday
August 7th
The works to channel the Tosalet barranco, which caused such erosion and flooding in the October 2007 floods are finally to begin on Monday August 9th, and will be carried out in 5 phases. Completion must be by December 31st 2010 in order to obtain financial aid from the Regional Government. The cost of these works will be €535,000 and the contractor is Xabia company, Santacreu. Apparently the delay has been due to negotiations for obtaining funding and the tendering process. The total cost of all post 2007 floods repair works is €1,541,561 with 50% being paid by Central Government, 25% by the Valencia Government and 25% from the Town Hall. from XAD: El lunes comienza....
Whales sighted off the Arenal beach
August 5th
Three, 20 metre Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) have been sighted off the Arenal beach on their annual migration to the Atlantic. Each year dozens of these whales make this migration, but they are not normally so easily seen, or close to shore. This year they are early, perhaps because of the warming of the Mediterranean. from Las Provincias: Ballenas en la costa...