By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
The small Serranía de Ronda village of Júzcar has already achieved international renown by being painted blue and becoming the Smurfs’ village for last year’s launch of the latest Sony movie. In the six months it has been the ‘Pueblo Pitufo’ some 90,000 people have visited the village, an average of 4,000 a week. Those people could now be vital in helping Júzcar win a basketball court.
With the support of Málaga province Júzcar is participating in the Endesa – Liga ACB competition. It has now passed the first hurdle judged by representatives of the power company and basketball league. Now it is in the second round and here it needs the votes of its new found visitors.
The voting is via the Facebook page link www.actitudazul.com/ligaendesa. Júzcar is currently in fourth place behind Gordeloxa, Vilagarcia de Arousa and San Miguel de las Dueñas. Log on and give Júzcar your vote as it could see the village of 219 residents acquire a state of the art basketball court.
That is the prize in the ‘Actitud Azul’ competition. A regulation sized basketball court, fully equipped and with flood lighting. It would be placed in an accessible site in the village for the use of everybody. The isolated community does not enjoy all the facilities of more central villages or towns hence the basketball court would a major asset for the young people.
ALL CHANGE FOR RONDA BUS STATION
Ronda’s bus station in the centre of the town is antiquated and not easily accessible for the coach traffic. The plan was it would be relocated as part of the proposed Eroski commercial centre scheduled for the former soccer stadium and fair ground off the San Pedro – Sevilla by pass. However the new administration seems to have its own plans.
The Eroski project and the former socialist mayor Marín Lara are all caught up in the Acinipo town planning corruption case so it could be the new PP – PA administration has decided to move on. Mayor Mari Paz Fernández is seeking submissions of ideas from architects for a bus station to be located not far from the existing one on El Fuerte industrial estate.
The idea seems to be to site the bus and tourist coach hub opposite the sports complex. Not only would it be a bus station but also a commercial development with the management company having a contract to exploit both. It would also be opposite a busy Mercadona supermarket and it is yet to be revealed whether this would be relocated in to the hypermarket – bus station site.
PAYMENT CHECK
An unhappy new year is looming for municipal workers employed by Ronda’s Soliarsa cleaning company. The administration is determined to cut its costs and the two extra payments made in the summer and at Christmas are due for the chop. In addition an investigation is going to be carried out in to the legality of productivity payments awarded to managers of the company.
BODEGA AID
The regional government has given a grant to the Morosanto bodega which is located on a Roman site at La Cimada between Ronda and Setenil. A million euros has already been invested in the vineyard with four million euros scheduled. Owner Ángel Céspedes said the grant was a lifeline adding that the wines produced in the Serranía were amongst the best in Spain.
WINE CHOCOLATE
Cortijo Los Aguilares is a famous Ronda wine maker whilst the Confitería Daver is celebrated for its cakes so it is logical both should come together to create a special chocolate sweet to celebrate New Year. The delicacy has been widely tasted and received much acclaim but David Verdú says commercial viability will be difficult because of the high cost of the wine.
BRIDGE WORK
Ronda’s councillor for the outlying districts, Manuel López, took mayor María de la Paz Fernández to Llano de la Cruz and Los Frontones to discuss bridge work. Both have bridges on busy roads that have deteriorated from the storms of recent years and lack of maintenance. Now 10,000 euros is to be spent meeting residents’ demands they should be repaired before they collapse.
LAST PHASE
Whilst the regional government’s projects to construct major new road connections in to Ronda stand abandoned waiting funding the town hall is entering the last phase of its own scheme to create access off the San Pedro to Sevilla road in to the San Jorge area. It is being constructed with 1.8 million euros of ICO funding and will be operational before Easter.
ACINIPO RAIDS
The Roman archaeological site of Acinipo just outside Ronda has again been the target of thieves seeking valuable historic remains. The security guards are only on duty in the morning but they have detected signs of people searching inside the complex for metallic Roman artefacts. Acinipo is one of the most important historic sites in Andalucía but suffers continually from poor security measures.
