FIVE-STAR HOTEL FOR RONDABy David Eade – Costa del Sol News
Ronda has many fine hotels including a Parador but it has yet to have a five-star establishment. Some years ago plans for such a hotel in the historic Casa del Rey Moro were announced but they crumbled along with the current ruin of this fine Moorish building.
The latest plans are for the former El Castillo Silesian school set in the heart of the historic town. It occupies one side of the Plaza de la Duquesa de Parcent which is home to the town hall and the Santa María la Mayor church.
In charge of the project will be the prestigious Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. He has been praised for his past buildings set in sensitive locations. Indeed García Gutiérrez who is behind the consortium that will create the hotel says that getting to laying to the first stone will take some time because of the protracted planning process that has to be gone through.
The hotel project has been made possible after an agreement was reached by the owners of the site – the Fundación Moctezuma – and the developers. It will ensure the archaeological remains on the land will be preserved as will the school’s chapel, the sanctuary of the María Auxiliadora.
It is yet to be seen what will happen with the old school building itself. None-the-less it is known that the hotel will have a minimum of 200 rooms, a large parking zone, a Spa plus meeting rooms that can hold up to 3,000 people aimed at the company conference market.
RONDA TRAINS BACK ON TRACK
As of April 23 the trains are running again on the Algeciras to Bobadilla line. Renfe started accepting bookings last week for its services that were halted in October so that round-the-clock improvements could be carried out on the track.
The works are part of a 176 million euros improvement plan to improve the line and to allow an increase in passenger and freight traffic. This included lowering the floor of various tunnels, installing state of the art signal systems and preparing the line for future electrification. In addition future provision has been made for a third track to international gauges and the proposed AVE service. Although trains are now running the works on the line will not be completed to the end of the year.
Trains will again leave Algeciras at 8.24 and 15.08 for Madrid with the return services leaving the nation’s capital at 8.40 and 15.05.
Trains depart from Algeciras for Granada at 7.00, 12.15 and 15.45 and for Ronda at 18.50. In the other direction trains leave Ronda for Algeciras at 7.42 and from Granada at 7.15, 13.50 and 17.25.
The Madrid trains stop at Algeciras and Ronda. However the local trains from Algeciras to Granada and Ronda stop at the various stations along the route.
The container traffic which since October has gone via Sevilla La Negrilla or road returned to operate from Algeciras port and San Roque from last weekend.
GENALGUACIL ART CONTEST ATTRACTS NEW YORK ENTRY
The village of Genalguacil in the Valle del Genal is a rather special place. Yes it is one of the beautiful Serranía de Ronda white villages but it is also an open air art museum.
Wander around its streets and you’ll come across 70 statues that were exhibits in the nine past international art competitions. There are 112 sculptures on display in all –the other 42 are in its contemporary museum.
Now the mayor, Beatriz Álvarez, has announced the tenth ‘Encuentros de Arte del Valle del Genal’ will be celebrated between August 1 and 15. Artists wishing to enter their work can do so from June 1 to 15 – they are asked, amongst other things, to describe their project or to give a detailed plan.
Beatriz Álvarez said although the entries would be accepted in June four artists have already announced their intention to participate with one piece coming from New York. Over the years artists have been attracted from home and abroad with exhibits from Mexico, France, German and Italy.
The Genalguacil councillor for culture, Fernando Centeno, acknowledged that the competition was “international” but added that places were reserved for artists from both Málaga province and the local area.
At the launch of the art competition was the president of the Málaga provincial authority, Salvador Pendón. He stated that the Encuentros de Arte del Valle del Genal are “absolutely unique” and an “authentic reference point” not only for the development of artistic activity in the province but throughout the world.
He added that those artists taking part not only had the opportunity to present their projects but also in to create in Genalguacil “an extraordinary museum” of contemporary art.
FAIR RETURNS
Ronda’s Real Feria de Mayo is the oldest agricultural fair in Andalucía but was cancelled last year because of the economic crisis - this year it goes ahead on May 20 to 23. There will be 96 stalls dedicated to food stuffs, farming and machinery. Although Ronda is home to a world famous bullring for the fair a ring is built on the fairground.
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY
A 27-year-old has been arrested in Ronda after an attempted early morning break-in at a branch of Unicaja in the avenida de Ronda. Just before 2.00 he broke a window to enter the bank. This activated a silent alarm and security cameras and national and local police patrols were soon on the scene. The thief fled but was soon caught by pursuing officers.
HEALTH PLEA
The Partido Popular has raised health cover in the Serranía de Ronda in the Andalucía Parliament. The area is home to 50,000 people and the PP wants the emergency service reorganised. Its suggesting a special 061 service, more ambulances made available insisting nobody should wait more than 30 minutes for attention. An Algatocín woman who suffered a heart attack recently waited 90 minutes.
POOR PARKING
Ronda’s local police last year issued 6,175 tickets of which 3,673 were for parking. Over 38 per cent were for illegal parking, 21 per cent for using loading and unloading bays, 10 per cent for kerb parking and nearly 9 per cent for illegal use of disabled spaces. Other offences included speeding, drunk driving, wearing no crash helmet or not wearing seat belts.
CHURCH MONUMENT
The Andalucía government has listed the church in El Burgo as a historic monument. The Nuestra Señora de la Encarnacion church was constructed in the 15 th century on the site of a former mosque in a fortified area and its tower was retained. Experts say the religious building is a perfect combination of Gothic and ‘Mudéjar’ styles and also incorporates Baroque features.
PGOUS PRESENTED
Six municipalities in the Serranía de Ronda have presented their new local development plans (PGOUs). The draft documents of Benalauría, Benarrabá, Cartajima, Igualeja, Jubrique and Pujerra were handed over by the president of the Málaga provincial authority, Salvador Pendón. The province has assisted in the preparation of the plans as the municipalities do not have the financial resources to create their own.
POWER ROW
Power to street lighting and Jimera de Líbar’s municipal buildings could be cut off. The town hall has not paid its bills since July but mayor, Maite Domínguez, insists this is because they are filled with errors and do not relate to the electricity used. Endesa is having none of it threatening to pull the plug saying the complaints have not been substantiated.
