DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY 25 AUGUST 2011

SERRANÍA TO BECOME A CULTURE PARK


By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

Málaga province has come up with a plan to boost the economy of the Serranía de Ronda by declaring the area a culture park and boosting its promotion by giving it preferential status.

There are over a 100 projects that will give the Serranía prominence at a national level and the culture park would be co-financed equally by the central and Andalucía governments as well as the province. The Málaga deputy for tourism and the promotion of the area, Jacobo Florido, believes that now is the moment to invest in the resources of the Serranía and to include it in promotional packages as well as in its own right.

The cultural park will include zones dating back to the Neolithic age, the Romans, the Nazari Muslim influence across to the 19 th century and the War of Independence. The idea has already received previous endorsement from the regional government.

The plan to boost tourism in the Serranía would be actively supported by museums and interpretation centres as well as the tourist offices and various scenic viewing areas in area. Florido said the Serranía can be declared a cultural park now and all the resources required for its management can be generated.

Amongst the attractions that would make up the park is the chestnut museum in Pujerra (in its final phase), the Nazari interpretation centre in Cortes de la Frontera, the interpretation centre of the War of Independence planned for Gaucín, a culture and wild fungi centre in Júzcar plus another cultural centre in Cartajima. These various centres would join such existing attractions as the Roman ruins at Acinipo and Montejaque’s Cueva de la Pileta.

URBANISATION AT WAR OVER DOG OWNERS

A number of the residents at the Arenal 2000 urbanisation in Ronda are on a war footing over some of the dogs and their owners who reside there. They claim that the pooches are allowed to do their mess in the streets without it being cleared up afterwards. In addition they insist some of the dogs are aggressive, including those officially classified as dangerous breeds, and they fear being attacked.

The angry residents insist these dogs are a danger to the children playing in the streets and to the older people living on the urbanisation. One resident claimed: “We are scared to take out the rubbish.” The concerned property owners say they have given up asking the dog owners to control their animals and have now reported them to the town hall.

FAIR COUNTDOWN

Ronda’s busy preparing itself for its annual Pedro Romero fair. The pavilions have been erected on the feria ground and visited by mayor María Paz Fernández. What’s more the famous Damas Goyescas have been presented for the first time in their dresses based on the style of the Goya era. The ladies of the court preside over all the events and Goyesca bullfight.

MAGHREBI COURT

A 14-year-old Maghreb was caught in Ronda after a coach carrying Portuguese tourists stopped outside the Berlanga Hotel because the driver detected a problem with the steering. The coach had come from Tarifa heading for France; the lad had hid himself in the space above one of the wheels. He was detained by the National Police and transferred to a youth care centre.

SAHARAN FAREWELL

Every summer towns and villages throughout Spain take in children from the refugee camps of the Sahara so they can enjoy a holiday away from the stress of their home environments. The mayor of Ronda and her deputy were both present when the town bid an emotional farewell to the 16 children at a special party held at the Padre Jesús swimming pool.

BETTER MILK

Milk producers in Ronda and the Serranía will benefit from a 700,000 euros Andalucía government project to improve the quality of diary produce. Healthy livestock are a vital element in ensuring the improvement of the milk produced and cattle farmers will have access to advisers who can guide them on instituting best practices. Twenty three milk producers will be involved in the scheme.

PAY PROTEST

There have been fresh protests in Estacion de Gaucín – El Colmenar where previously residents have demanded to break away from Cortes de la Frontera. The latest demonstrations have been in support of two workers who are to be laid off by the PA – IU coalition at Cortes town hall. This has led to renewed demands for democracy and autonomy for the two enclaves.

PAEDOPHILE JAILED

A 42-year-old man from Ronda has been jailed for two years by the Málaga provincial court on charges of being a paedophile. He was found guilty of owning and distributing pornographic material which he had made available over the internet to others. One of the sets of images was of a minor who was being subjected to various forms of sexual abuse.

CAVE MASS

Ronda’s Virgen de la Cabeza has its own confraternity; the statue is housed in the Iglesia Rupestre a cave on the rural outskirts the town. Last Saturday a special mass was held at the shrine which for the first time was attended by “Las Goyescas” – the Damas Goyescas who will preside over the coming fair. The revered Virgin represents the women of Ronda.

SUMMER FIRES

Information has been released by Infoca of two recent forest blazes at Casares and Parauta last Friday. Both fires started in the early hours at 1.25 in Casares and 1.55 in Parauta and both were finally brought under control by the morning. In Casares around half a hectare of scrub was destroyed although no information on the area damaged in Parauta was released.