CalpeNoticias EN

The Town Hall of Calp plans to place a time capsule next Sunday 29th December in memory of the young architect Josep Pineda Valles, who tragically passed away last April. Pineda, who worked in 2023 in the Town Hall of Calp, and specifically in the Culture Council, actively participated in this project, so now they want to pay tribute to him by dedicating this time capsule that will be installed next to the Casa de Cultura.

The capsule will contain several newspapers of the day and publications related to events that took place in Calp in 2024 (Easter Week programme, Centenary of the Fishermen's Guild, the book of festivities of the August patron saint festivities, the Moors and Christians, among others). It will be accompanied by a commemorative plaque commemorating the figure of this young architect.

This capsule, which will be buried this Sunday 29 December at 12 noon in an event open to all citizens, is expected to be opened in 20 years' time.

The plenary session of Calpe Town Council has finally approved the modification of the ordinance regulating the rate of household rubbish collection with the votes against of the municipal groups of the Partido Popular and Defend Calpe.

The updating of the rubbish tax is carried out in accordance with the new state law on waste - in application of a European directive - which requires that waste management in each municipality is not in deficit, that is, that the municipalities have to collect with the rubbish tax 100% of the cost of the service.

For the modification of the ordinance, an economic-financial study was carried out to analyse the costs of the service and set the fee considering criteria of economic capacity and waste generation. The distribution of the fee has been carried out by creating nine Areas (based on the cadastral valuation).

The tax rate in each of the Areas is as follows:

Area 1-Pou Roig: 162,03€.

Area 2-Diseminados: 223,98€.

Area 3-Casco/Ensanche: 223,06€.

Area 4-Mascarat: 171,84€.

Area 5-Urbanisations: 235,15€.

Area 6-Manzanera 257,14€.

Area 7-Coastal Port: 176,85€.

Area 8-Coastal: 177,17€.

Area 9-Salinas 185,33€.

All commercial or industrial premises are exempt from the increase in the rate and a 95% discount is established for the family unit whose members, the declarant and spouse, are pensioners or retired persons, the discount must be requested with the corresponding accreditation.

Law 7/2022 of 8 April on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy, obliges all European Union member states to improve waste management and to legislate in such a way that those who pollute the most pay the most, so that the tax collected by local councils for the collection and treatment of solid urban waste is not in deficit.

The spokesman for Defendamos Calpe, Paco Quiles, has indicated that ‘Europe is not asking us to raise the price, it says that whoever generates more waste should pay more, you have not worked on this proposal. The fairest thing would have been to reduce the IBI to the residents. The chosen method is unfair because you focus on the economic capacity of the area where we live, but you forget about the generation of waste. This point required more effort on their part to make the rate fairer’.

Miguel Crespo, spokesman for the Popular Party, criticised the rubbish collection service ‘this tax is not well worked out, it punishes the citizens, the citizens are going to pay. 2.5 million more for the same service, they will pay more for the same thing. The European Commission points out that it is not forcing us to raise the rate, what it is asking of us is that the service be sustainable’.

The Compromís councillor and government spokesman, Ximo Perles, also stated that ‘I disagree with what the members of the opposition have said, it is about resolving an allegation that if it had not been presented, we would not even be here’.

Defendamos Calpe councillor Juan Manuel del Pino said ‘the opposition is taking advantage of the resolution of an allegation to repeat that this is a robbery, nobody likes to raise taxes and we have already justified it’.

The mayoress, Ana Sala, closed the speeches stating that ‘the popular group is trying to convey to the citizens that this is a tax heist, obviously citizens are going to pay more, this increase is not to the government's liking but I have already committed to modify the rate in 2025 so that the tax burden is less for those who recycle, I do not know how we are going to do it but we are already working to achieve it’.

The X Fira de Nadal reaches its halfway point, the Fair started in early December with a new location, since instead of the streets of the Old Town the Fair is concentrated on the Plaza Mayor, and will continue the next weekends of December.

The first two weekends of the fair saw the participation of 30 associations and businesses distributed in booths provided by the Departments of Economic Promotion, Creama-Calp, Citizen Participation, Revitalisation of the Old Town and Culture for the exhibition and sale of their own products and manufactured goods.

Along with the offer of associations and businesses, visitors to the fair were able to enjoy children's entertainment, musical performances, exhibitions and the visit of Father Christmas and the Paje Real. The Fair is rounded off with numerous leisure and entertainment activities, with musical performances, parades and concerts, dance performances, workshops, exhibitions, etc.

The first part of the fair mainly involved trade and service companies and non-profit associations. The second part of the fair, the weekend of 20 to 22 December and 27 to 29 December, will be attended by 24 companies from the hotel and catering and commercial sector.

The councillor for Economic Promotion and Creama, Paqui Solivelles, expressed her satisfaction with the development of the first part of the fair and said that ‘I want to thank the associations and businesses that have participated in the first weeks of this event, which this year presented a new format, and encourage everyone to visit the fair over the coming weekends because we continue with new activities, performances and surprises’.

This event is an opportunity to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere as well as to collaborate with numerous associations with charitable and festive purposes in the town, as well as to get to know the commercial and hospitality offer of the municipality.

Calpe Town Hall was the venue for the awards ceremony of the 2nd #goCalp Contest, an initiative promoted by Global Omnium's GO2 through the Observatory of Resilient and Sustainable Cities, in collaboration with the Calpe Town Council. The ceremony was presided over by Juan Luis Pozo, director of Global Omnium's Sustainability Area, who highlighted the importance of this competition as a platform to encourage creativity and the commitment of young people to sustainability.

The first prize of 5,000 euros was awarded to the Biodiversiteam project, led by Daniel Negre of the Asociación Valenciana de Apoyo a las Altas Capacidades (AVAST). This innovative work proposes the creation of urban micro-parks with native flora, green roofs and recycled marine plastic materials to improve biodiversity and create ecological corridors in the city.

The second prize of 3,000 euros went to the BiFields project by the Convenius school. This design presents two sustainable modular solutions: Bio-placa, for self-sufficient vertical gardens, and Bio-estor, a biological curtain that protects facades and mitigates the heat island effect.

The #goCalp Contest invites young climate urban planners over 14 years old, students of ESO, Bachillerato or FP to submit innovative proposals to address the critical climate risks facing our communities.

Juan Luis Pozo congratulated the young winners and stressed the importance of projects like these, especially in the wake of recent natural disasters such as the Valencia hurricane. ‘People like you are what we need so that you not only promote the fight against climate emergencies but also provide ideas; therefore, congratulations because with your ideas we can possibly save lives, and I encourage you to continue this work’.

For his part, Juan Manuel del Pino, first deputy mayor of Calpe, said: ‘it is a great pride and honour for Calpe to lead a project like this in which we reward and value the ideas of the new generations who see things differently, with less prejudices, and who contribute with these ideas to the creation of more resilient and prepared cities in the face of climate change’.

The Town Council has received the resolution from the Directorate General of Coasts, Ports and Airports authorising the installation of the sculpture of the Mare de Dèu del Carmen in the port area. This sculpture designed by the artist Arturo Serra Gómez is intended to be a tribute from Calpe to the seafaring family during the celebration of the centenary of the Brotherhood, but it will be impossible to install it before the end of 2024.

In 2022, permission was already requested from the General Ports o Directorate of f the Department of Public Works for the installation of the sculpture of the Mare de Déu del Carme in the area of the port where a group of containers are now located.

In January and March 2024, authorisation was requested again to install the sculpture in the year of the centenary of the Confraternity. In April, the response from the Directorate General was that it was not possible to cede land but it was possible to authorise its occupation, so in June the Consistory sent back the definitive project and the awarded sculpture, once again requesting authorisation for the installation of a sculpture of the Virgen del Carmen at the access to the port area.

Now, at last, the City Council has received the communication of the administrative authorisation to carry out the work and actions necessary for the installation of the commemorative sculpture in honour of the Mare de Déu del Carme. In order to install the sculpture in the public maritime domain, the Town Council has had to cede the temporary use of the sculpture to the Conselleria de Medi Ambient, Infraestructures i Territori de la Generalitat Valenciana, for a maximum period of 30 years.

The area to be occupied according to the project is 19 m2 of developed land in a landscaped area where there are containers (some of them underground) that must be dismantled prior to the start of the works. In addition, the City Council will close the surrounding access to the sculpture around the perimeter.

The sculpture was created by the sculptor Arturo Serra at a cost of 155,000 euros. The work represents the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of sailors, according to the traditional iconography, that is, with the child in her arms and the scapular in one hand, on the base of the offering of flowers, and accompanied by three costaleros/carriers (anonymous) and a child, representing three generations (grandfather, father, young man and child).

The mayoress, Ana Sala, pointed out that ‘although our intention was to install the sculpture in 2024 to celebrate the centenary of the Brotherhood it will not be possible, but we will try to place it as soon as possible as a tribute to the fishing sector which is going through so many difficulties’.

From tomorrow, students from Calpe studying outside the municipality will be able to apply for the transport subsidies for the academic year 2023/2024. This year the amount allocated to these aids is 150,000 €.

The purpose of these grants is to provide aid to help defray part of the transport costs for students who have been enrolled during the school year of the call in an educational centre of public education, private education or private education located outside the municipality.

To apply for the grants, interested parties must be registered in Calpe for at least two years, be up to date with their tax obligations with the Town Hall, the Tax Agency and the Social Security, submit the application and other relevant documentation in due time and form and have passed 50% of the subjects enrolled.

The maximum amount of the grants will be in the case of intermediate or higher vocational training up to 264 euros if the distance is less than 20 kilometres and up to 396 euros if it is more than 20 kilometres, for professional artistic education up to 264 euros if the distance is less than 20 km and up to 396 euros if it is more than 20 km, for higher artistic education up to 396 euros if the distance is less than 20 km and up to 528 euros if it is more than 20 km.

In the case of undergraduate, master's and doctoral university studies, up to 396 euros if the distance is less than 20 km and up to 528 euros if it is more than 20 km, and for UNED and online university studies, up to 198 euros.

The application can be completed online or in person at the OAC through the electronic office (‘SUB18 - Solicitud ayudas transporte estudiantes’) of the municipal website. The deadline for submitting applications is from 17 to 26 December.

The Department of Social Welfare, Equality and Family has launched again the campaign ‘Línies amb il-lusió’ with which aims to bring letters to people living in the residences of the elderly in the municipality or elderly people assisted from the Home Care Service.

This campaign, which consists of sending handwritten letters full of good Christmas wishes to our elderly, has once again demonstrated the transforming power of a simple but meaningful gesture.

After the success of the previous edition, this year the initiative has counted with the participation of fifteen associations of the municipality have actively collaborated, in addition to individuals who, without belonging to any group, have joined with enthusiasm to write letters. A total of 200 letters were collected.

To carry out the initiative, the Department has contacted several local associations or entities such as Centre Cívic de la Tercera Edat, Asociación Alicante contra el Cáncer, Mujeres por la Igualdad Calpe, Asociación Fibromialgia Calpe, Cruz Roja, Asociación de Amas de Casa, Escola de Formació de Persones Adultes, ADICALPE, COLISEE, DOMUSVI, De Amicitia, Amistades Belgas de Levante, Asociación del Amigos del Arte Calpe, Cáritas Calpe, Les Amities francofones-Marina Alta and Agrupación Filatélica y Numismática.

The idea is that, through these associations, the interested parties write personalised letters with the aim of sending a few lines of encouragement and congratulations for the Christmas holidays. The letters are also addressed to foreign residents, which is why foreign-language associations have been contacted. No logos will appear in the letters; this is an action of solidarity and citizen participation in which the City Council will be a mere facilitator.

A highlight of this year's edition has been the participation of the third cycle students of the Azorín School. The children decided to join the project in a special way: they made 50 cards with Christmas motifs that will accompany some of the letters that will be delivered. The Municipal Corporation has also contributed, delivering 30 handwritten letters. All this has been possible thanks to the coordinated work of the staff of the Social Welfare department, the directors of the homes for the elderly have also played a key role in facilitating the letters to reach their recipients.

The councillor for Social Welfare, Itziar Doval, pointed out that ‘this is an initiative at almost no cost that can make many people happy, we are targeting particularly vulnerable groups who live these dates in solitude and for whom receiving a few lines is a real thrill. I would like to thank all the people and organisations that have made this initiative possible. From the local associations to the children who contributed their creativity, to all the people who generously collaborated to fill these dates with illusion’.

As part of the campaign, next week some users of the senior residences will be able to enjoy a special ride on the train to admire the Christmas illumination of Calpe.

Friday, 13th:

• Theatre ‘La estrella de belén’ by the Centro Ocupacional Maite Boronat. At 12 noon in the Auditorium.

• Christmas Fair in the Plaza Mayor. From 5 p.m. entertainment activities, gastronomy, crafts, local trade products...

• Exhibition of the municipal nativity scene in the Casa de Cultura.

• 29th edition of EXFICALPE, commemorating the centenary of the Fishermen's Guild and the 25th anniversary of the Casa de Cultura. Philatelic collections, exhibition ‘Postal Cartography’ and photographic exhibition dedicated to the world of the sea and fishing in Calpe.

• Photographic exhibition on the Centenary of the Fishermen's Guild of CALPE. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

• Exhibition of the nativity scenes of the parishes Nuestra Sra. de las Nieves (timetable: 10:30h - 13:30h / 17:30h - 20:00h) and Nuestra Sra. de la Merced parishes (Monday to Saturday from 18h- 19h. Sundas: from 9h- 13h

Saturday, 14th:

• Christmas Fair on the Plaza Mayor. From 11 a.m. entertainment activities, gastronomy, handicrafts, local trade products...

• 11 h - Itinerant Christmas concert by the Colla de Xirimiters El Carellot de Calpe. Starting at La Fuente street.

• II Homage concert to María Ferrer by Xaranga La Xarlotà. 8 p.m. Saló Blau.

• Exhibition of the municipal nativity scene in the Casa de Cultura.

• 29th edition of EXFICALPE, commemorating the centenary of the Fishermen's Guild and the 25th anniversary of the Casa de Cultura. Philatelic collections, exhibition ‘Postal Cartography’ and photographic exhibition dedicated to the world of the sea and fishing in Calpe.

• Photographic exhibition on the Centenary of the Fishermen's Guild of Calpe. On Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

• Exhibition of the nativity scenes of the parishes Nuestra Sra. de las Nieves (timetable: 10:30h - 13:30h / 17:30h - 20:00h) and Nuestra Sra. de la Merced (Monday to Saturday from 18h- 19h. Sundays: from 9h- 13h

Sunday, 15th:

• Christmas Fair on the Plaza Mayor. From 11 a.m. entertainment, gastronomy, crafts, local products...

• Concert by the Coral Ifach Calpe and Camerata ‘Ars Cantica Benidorm’, at 19:45 (at the end of mass) in the Virgen de las Nieves Parish Church.

• Photographic exhibition on the Centenary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

• Exhibition of the nativity scenes of the Nuestra Sra. de las Nieves (timetable: 10:30h - 13:30h / 17:30h - 20:00h) and Nuestra Sra. de la Merced parishes (Monday to Saturday from 18h- 19h. Sunday: from 9h- 13h

The Baños de la Reina site has reopened its doors to the public after the adaptation works that have been carried out over the last few months and which have led to its musealisation. The Department of Culture has organised a total of eight days of guided tours during the month of December, with three shifts each day. The visits are scheduled for 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28 December at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30.

To participate in these visits, coordinated by the archaeologist Alicia Luján, it is necessary to register at the Tourist Offices, by email turismo@ajcalp.es or by calling 96 583 69 20 and 96 583 85 32.

The work to adapt the site means that this enclave, one of the most important archaeological sites in its category in Roman Hispania, will be open to the public on a regular basis.

The work carried out corresponds to the initial actions foreseen in phase A of the Master Plan for this archaeological site, drawn up by the Diputación de Alicante, which has financed the work with 439,388.69 euros.

Visitors will be able to walk along the wooden walkways that set two itineraries that allow them to see the main archaeological sites: on the one hand, the Domus rotunda with its baths and circular mosaic (4th century) and on the other, the hydraulic complex with the waterwheel and a series of villas (2nd century A.D.).

In addition, remains of the site have been re-excavated and consolidated, which for the first time will be included in public visits and which are thought to correspond to a possible industrial structure due to their rustic construction and their proximity to the waterwheel and hydraulic complex.

In addition, safety measures have been implemented at the site, such as the installation of a horizontal sliding roof over the area of descent to the hydraulic complex, which until now was unprotected, and a wooden structure with nets covering the turning area of the waterwheel to prevent possible falls. The damaged walls and structures have also been consolidated and gravel of different shades has been laid to allow visual identification of the areas intervened, which will facilitate their interpretation.

The work has also involved the installation of a new fence on Avenida de Europa, which will become the new access for visitors, as well as the repair and replacement of the existing damaged fencing on the rest of the boundaries and on the Paseo Marítimo façade.

The Councillor of Culture, Guillermo Sendra, has pointed out that ‘for the first time, the site of Banys de la Reina can be opened to the public as it should be, with all the protection measures, a first step to put in value as it deserves this treasure we have in Calp’.

All the municipal groups have supported an institutional declaration in defence of the fishing sector that will be debated in today's plenary session. The text analyses the difficult situation of the fishing sector in Calpe and by extension the whole province and the Spanish Mediterranean, due to the continuous limitations imposed by the European Union. This situation is now even worse with the proposal of the European Commission's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) to reduce fishing days by 79% for next year, which will mean that each trawler will be able to fish an average of 27 days a year.

The document states that ‘if the current regulation that allows trawlers to fish only 125 days a year is already practically unviable for any company, if this new proposal is approved, it would be the death certificate of our trawling sector’.

On the other hand, the draft resolution of the European Union's Sub-Directorate General for National Fishing Grounds and Waters establishing catch ceilings for Mediterranean red shrimp would mean that bottom trawlers could only catch up to 50 kg of red shrimp per week (10 kg per day from Monday to Friday), with proportional adjustments for incomplete weeks, with a deadline of 31 December 2024 or until the available quota is exhausted. If the usual expenses of a fishing boat when it goes out to catch red shrimp amount to 1,200 euros per day, it obviously does not add up.

The institutional declaration considers that the European Union's fisheries policy does not meet the objectives of social, economic and environmental balance because it leads to a reduction in jobs and a loss of quality of life for workers' families and because it prevents companies from making a profit and the restrictions end up condemning them to disappear. Nor does it meet environmental balance criteria because the studies carried out are not appropriate to the type of vessel, the fishing grounds or the species.

The letter states that ‘The European proposal means the death of the fishing sector, in fact the data of the Fishermen's Guilds of our province estimate that in the last ten years more than 50% of employment in the sector has been destroyed’.

Furthermore, the declaration denounces the fact that the EU does not make public the conclusions of the Multiannual Fisheries Plan and, therefore, it is considered that there is no data to decide on these cuts. Nor is it known how the calculation of the kilos allocated to each vessel has been made.

For all these reasons, all the municipal groups of Calpe Town Council agree to request the European Commission not to approve the proposal of the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) consisting of a 79% reduction in fishing days.

They also urge the Spanish Government to insist on the defence of the Mediterranean fishing sector and not to allow even one more reduction in the quota of working days per year, which is already very low at present. The Spanish Government is also asked to draw up a Management Plan for the fishing sector, evaluating its resources and seeking the sustainability of the sector.

The Calpe corporation requests the creation of a network of scientists and members of the fishing sector to study and investigate the fishing situation in the Mediterranean, involving the Universities of the province of Alicante.

The Calpe Fishermen's Guild has rallied this morning in the fishing port to express its most emphatic rejection of the European Commission's proposal to reduce the number of fishing days per year in the Mediterranean from 130 to 27, a cut that would seriously jeopardise the continuity of the fishing sector.

This is a measure that will be debated at the EU Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, which is taking place today in Brussels. A Valencian delegation of fishermen's representatives has travelled to the Belgian capital, including the head of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild, Paco Catalá.

The secretary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild, Santos Pastor, described as ‘unsustainable’ the proposal that ‘leads to the closure of what we know as inshore extractive fishing, trawling in the Mediterranean’ and pointed out that it is ‘unheard of that this measure is being proposed without knowing the results of the 2020 - 2024 Multiannual Plan’.

‘From the fishing sector we will not allow, and we will demonstrate every day, our rejection of this proposal and we will defend the way of being and working that we have inherited from our ancestors and that we intend to maintain in the present and in the future,’ he said.

The rally was attended by numerous citizens and members of the municipal corporation, including Mar i Terra councillor Mariola Mulet.

Friday, 6th:

• Christmas Fair on the Plaza Mayor. From 11 a.m. entertainment activities, gastronomy, handicrafts, local trade products...

• Exhibition of the municipal nativity scene in the Casa de Cultura.

• Free guided tour of the Old Town. At 5 p.m. in Spanish. Registration required at the tourist offices 96 583 69 20/ 96 583 85 32, turismo@ajcalpe.es

• Photographic exhibition on the occasion of the Centenary of the CALPE Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

Saturday, 7th:

• Christmas Fair in the Plaza Mayor. From 11 a.m. entertainment activities, gastronomy, handicrafts, local trade products...

• XX TRAIL SERRA D'OLTÀ, Parc de la Creativitat from 11 am to 6 pm.

• 11 h - Travelling Christmas Concert by the Unión Musical Calpe Ifach. Starting at La Fuente Street.

• Free guided tour of the Old Town. At 17h in Spanish. Prior registration required at the tourist offices 96 583 69 20/ 96 583 85 32 , turismo@ajcalpe.es

• Exhibition of the municipal nativity scene in the Casa de Cultura.

• 29th edition of EXFICALPE, commemorating the centenary of the Fishermen's Guild and the 25th anniversary of the Casa de Cultura. Philatelic collections, exhibition ‘Postal Cartography’ and photographic exhibition dedicated to the world of the sea and fishing in Calpe.

• Photographic exhibition on occasion the Centenary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

Sunday, 8th:

• Christmas Fair on Plaza Mayor. From 11 a.m. entertainment activities, gastronomy, handicrafts, local trade products...

• Free guided tour of the Old Town. At 11 a.m. in Spanish. Prior registration required at the tourist offices 96 583 69 20/ 96 583 85 32. turismo@ajcalpe.es

• Photographic exhibition on occasion of the Centenary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

• Exhibition of the nativity scenes of the parishes Nuestra Sra. de las Nieves (timetable: 10:30h - 13:30h / 17:30h - 20:00h) and Nuestra Sra. de la Merced (Monday to Saturday from 18h- 19h. Sundays: from 9h- 13h)

The X Fira de Nadal opens its doors tomorrow with several new features, the first is its new location, as instead of the streets of the Old Town the Fair will be concentrated in the Plaza Mayor, and the second novelty is that it will take place every weekend in December.

The main objective of the X Fira de Nadal 2024 is to promote the business and associative fabric of Calpe, as well as providing an additional attraction for tourists visiting our town and encouraging the active participation of the inhabitants of Calpe in the promotion and consolidation of local businesses and associations.

The modifications introduced this year aim to offer the opportunity to participate to a greater number of companies and associations, while expanding the activities that, on the Christmas holidays, are organised by the Town Hall to promote local commerce.

The Fair, organised by the Departments of Economic Promotion, Creama-Calpe, Citizen Participation, Revitalisation of the Old Town and Culture, will provide a free stall or stand where local traders, restaurateurs and associations can exhibit and sell their own products and manufactured goods.

The first two weekends of the fair (the weekends of 6-8 December and 13-15 December) will mainly involve trade and service companies and non-profit associations, and the second fortnight (the weekends of 20-22 December and 27-29 December) will preferably involve companies from the hotel and catering sector.

This event is an opportunity to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere as well as to collaborate with numerous local charitable and festive associations. Visitors will be able to find crafts, gastronomy, Christmas articles, traditional sweets, local trade products, as well as children's entertainment, musical performances, exhibitions and the visit of Father Christmas and the Royal Page Boy. The Fair is rounded off with numerous leisure and entertainment activities, with musical performances, parades and concerts, dance performances, workshops, exhibitions, etc.

Calpe Town Council is finalising the implementation of the Spanish Urban Agenda, through a document that will establish the roadmap for Calpe to become a more sustainable, competitive and inclusive municipality.

Calpe's Urban Agenda is a strategic plan for the city that will include the major projects to be carried out until 2030 following the 10 strategic objectives of the Spanish Urban Agenda and the SDGs of the United Nations.

For the development of the Urban Agenda, the Calpe City Council will consider previous documents that have been prepared such as the Local Action Plan 2020 as well as projects that were already aligned with the SDGs of the United Nations, such as the Strategic Plan for Tourism (2020-2030).

Having the Urban Agenda will also make it easier to attract European funds, especially those belonging to Spain's Multi-regional Operational Programme (POPE 2021 - 2027) such as the EDIL plans, Local Integrated Development Strategies, 60% of which are financed by ERDF funds, with grants that can range between 5 and 15 million euros for projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. In fact, Calpe is also preparing to apply for these funds. Calpe Town Council has already been a beneficiary of other European funds such as the Integrated Urban Development Strategy EDUSI and the projects of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) financed by the Next Generation EU Funds.

Citizen participation

For the development of the Urban Agenda of Calpe, the City Council intends to involve the citizens of Calpe. For this reason, an online survey has been launched to find out their demands and needs.

In addition, to implement this strategic document, the City Council is holding several meetings between its various departments this week to discuss the challenges of the municipality until 2030.

Councillor Marco Bittner pointed out that: ‘This participatory process is essential to design a strategy that responds to the real needs of our city. We want all the citizens of Calpe to be protagonists in defining the future of our municipality’.

Take part in the survey

The construction of the other major educational project of Calpe, the CEE Gargasindi, already has a start date: next Monday, December 9th, the same day on which the construction works of the second IES of the municipality are also scheduled to begin.

This morning the act of commencement of the works was signed at a ceremony attended by the mayoress Ana Sala, accompanied by the director of the centre, Inés López, the councillor for Education, Mariola Mulet, the councillor for Territory, Juan Manuel del Pino and the councillor for Contracting, Ximo Perles, as well as representatives of the company awarded the works, Orthem Servicios y Actuaciones Ambientales.

The construction project of the CEE Gargasindi has been awarded for an amount of 7,055,799.57 € and a completion period of 15 months, so it is expected that the centre can open its doors for the academic year 2026/2027. The Basic and Execution Project was drawn up by the architects Miguel Ródenas Mussons, Jesús Olivares Casado and Juan Miguel Ochotorena Elicegui.

This new project arose because the previous facilities were insufficient to meet the needs of this educational community. In fact, the pupils moved to Benissa in June 2020 and the facilities of the old school were demolished in March 2021. The new centre is expected to have a capacity for 100 pupils.

The site on which the centre will be built was provisionally used as a public car park a year ago, pending the Generalitat's authorisation of the modification of the delegation of powers due to the increase in the budget for the project included in the Pla Edificant. For this reason, given the imminence of the works, it is expected that in the next few days parking will be prohibited on this plot, located on Avenida Ausiàs March and which previously housed the old Gargasindi school and the Virgen de las Nieves nursery school.

‘We could not have received better news today, 3 December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities. At last, a much-needed infrastructure will become a reality, for which we have not tired of fighting and claiming, as well as the second secondary school’, said the mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala.

The Gargasindi Public Special Education Centre of Calpe was born in September 1980, as a resource and care centre for children with serious and permanent educational needs in the Marina Alta region. Over the years and in response to the needs of the area, pupils from Marina Baixa were also integrated. This year the centre has around 50 pupils with a wide range of special and permanent educational needs.

The Casa de Cultura of Calpe celebrated on Saturday an emotional gala - tribute on its 25 years of history. An event in which tribute was paid to all the councillors of Culture over the last 25 years: Maite Boronat, Paloma Granados, Ximo Tur, Manolo Cabrera, Miguel Ángel Martínez, Pilar Cabrera and the current Culture councillor Guillermo Sendra, as well as to the staff who work in the facilities and whose work makes it possible for the citizens of Calpe to enjoy a varied cultural programme throughout the year.

During the event, a video mapping was projected on the cultural history of Calpe from the origins of the municipality to the present day. A spectacle for the audience, as this technology offered simultaneous audiovisual projections on the walls of the auditorium itself and on the central screen.

The gala included a performance by an acrobatics group from Fam Produccions and ended with a small concert by the Sinfonity Electric Guitar Orchestra, a music group that performs the great pieces of classical music on electric guitars.

On 23rd May 1999, these facilities were inaugurated, from which art and culture have been and continue to be promoted and which have become a reference point in the cultural life of Calpe.

EXFICALPE, the philatelic and collecting exhibition organised every December and January by the Calpe Philatelic Association, will start next Monday 2nd December and will commemorate this year the centenary of the Fishermen's Guild and the 25th anniversary of the Casa de Cultura.

The philatelic exhibition, which reaches its 29th edition, will be the culmination of the commemorative events of these two anniversaries that have been the protagonists of Calpe's cultural and social life throughout 2024. The Calpe Philatelic Association has already dedicated a stamp to the 75th Anniversary of the Pòsit de Calpe (1999) and the 10th Anniversary of the Casa de Cultura (2009) and now, on occasion of this exhibition, Correos Correos will issue special stamps for the occasion.

Likewise, this edition, which will be held in the exhibition hall of the Ajuntament Vell, will house a total of nine collections from all over Spain, some of which have won awards in recent national philatelic competitions. This group of collections will offer visitors the chance to contemplate in the same room a wide range of philatelic specialities, all of them recognised by the International Philatelic Federation, as well as giving them the opportunity to learn about current Spanish philatelic events.

Along with the philatelic part, EXFICALPE 2024 will feature for the first time an exhibition of ‘Postal Cartography’ with reproductions of postal maps from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the traditional photographic exhibition which will be dedicated on this occasion to the world of the sea and fishing in Calpe.

And so that visitors can get to know the world of philately, activities open to the public have been programmed, such as the presentation of the issues that Correos (Spanish Postal Service) will put into circulation for the occasion in ‘Tu Sello’ format, which are the stamps that are made personally at Correos, which will take place on the same day as the inauguration. There will also be guided tours of the exhibition.

In addition, a philatelic exchange conference will be held on the 6th December in the same exhibition hall, and on the 15th December the traditional International Philatelic Exchange will take place at the Calpe Tennis Club. Both days will start at 10 am. On Sunday 8 December, a special day dedicated to ‘Philatelic Literature’ will be held, with a discussion starting at 18.30 hours, and the possibility of looking at old philatelic publications.

To all this we must add a very significant celebration for Calpe's philately: 10 years of uninterrupted philatelic informative activity through the Blog IFAC FILATÉLICO, a celebration for which a talk has been organised by the Blog's coordinator, José Ivars, scheduled for Saturday 7th December at 6 pm in the Exhibition Hall of the Old Town Hall of Calpe.

The exhibition, which has the collaboration of the Department of Culture of Calpe Town Council, can be visited until 31 January.

Calpe Town Council has announced that it is opening a public consultation on the new Ordinance on Trenching and Trenching in the Municipal Public Domain, in order to gather public opinion before approving the new ordinance.

The new regulation, the first of its kind, aims to improve the management of works, guarantee safety and reduce inconvenience to the public during interventions in the public domain. It also aims to establish clear procedures and a system of penalties in the event of non-compliance by companies carrying out works on the public highway.

Citizens are asked to consider questions such as the convenience of establishing a period of time between the completion of a work in a certain area of the public road and a new execution of work to avoid inconvenience to neighbours, or to coordinate the work of different companies to take advantage of the same trench opening (e.g. water, gas, telecommunications) or to oblige companies to include additional installations (e.g. pipes) in anticipation of subsequent actions to minimise the requirement for new works.

Other issues raised by the public consultation include ensuring accessibility when road works are carried out by means of routes for people with reduced mobility or giving greater visibility to notices to neighbours prior to the start of road works.

Citizens can also make their contributions on the control of deadlines for the execution of works on public roads or request that the public road be restored to the way it was before the works or propose penalties for unjustified delays in the replacement of pavements or other elements of the public road.

The Town Council urges citizens to participate in this consultation either in person by submitting their suggestions at the Citizen's Advice Bureau or electronically through the Town Council's electronic office: https://Calpe.sedelectronica.es/ (digital certificate required). You can also send an e-mail to consultas_territorio@ajCalpe.es. The deadline for submitting suggestions is 8 January.

Friday, 29th:

• 18.30 h - Christmas lights switch-on. Sort Square. Parade to the Plaza Mayor with the charanga ‘La Xarlotà’ and entertainment by the Crazy Christmas Elves.
• 21 h - Santa Cecilia Concert by the Unió Musical Calpe-Ifach Youth Band. Saló Blau.
• Photographic exhibition on the occasion of the Centenary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

Saturday, 30th:

Day of the Quintas. Plaza Mayor:

• 11 h - Opening of the marquee, lunch enlivened by the Xirimita.
• 12 h - Performance by the Xaranga ‘La Xarlotà’.
• 12 h - Children's playground
• 14 h - Brotherhood lunch
• 15 h - Performance by the Xaranga ‘Los Mataos’.
• 18 h - Change of the children's banner
• 18.15 h - Performance by the orchestra ‘Mónaco’.
• 22.30 h - Change of the banner and the orchestra continues
• 23.30 h - Dj. Ángel Belmonte

With inflatables toys for kids

• Bars in charge of the prefesteros 2024
• 19 h - Gala 25th anniversary of the Casa de la Cultura. Auditorium.
• Photographic exhibition occasion of the Centenary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

Sunday, 1st:

• 12 h - Travelling Christmas Concert by the Calpe Ifach Musical Union. Starting at La Fuente street.
• Photographic exhibition on occasion of the Centenary of the Calpe Fishermen's Guild. In Plaza Colón, Plaza Constitución, Plaza Beato Sendra, Plaza Manuel Miró and in the port (next to the Fishermen's Guild).

The Culture Council has begun this week the comprehensive rehabilitation of two emblematic murals located on facades in the old town, the mural located in Vicente Gallard street by the painter Fernando Baquero and the mural in Purísima street (Pòsit building) by Gerda Pasteur.

The rehabilitation of both murals is comprehensive and consists of cleaning up the entire façade; after removing the façade cladding, a new special waterproofing mortar will be applied, followed by two coats of chemical primer to increase durability and, finally, the original drawing will be reproduced.

The cost of both restoration works is €28,919 in the case of the Pòsit mural and €54,450 in the case of the mural on Carrer Vicente Gallard, with a completion period of two months.

Both murals date back to 1988 as a result of a mural competition held at that time to beautify the old town of Calpe with the collaboration of local artists or artists based in Calpe. With the passage of time these works have deteriorated and hence the need to rehabilitate them, for which the Town Hall signed collaboration agreements last year with the owners of the facades to carry out the rehabilitation work.

In addition, the Department of Culture has begun work to restore three emblematic places of the municipality's historical and artistic heritage which are in a state of deterioration. Specifically, these are two parts of the old wall and the Gastón Castelló mural in the Plaza del Mosquit.

The Department of Culture intends to continue recovering the different murals in the old town, which is why the restoration of the mural by Pierre Le Fleur in front of the Torreó de la Peça and the one in the Casa del Cocó by Elías Úrbez are also in the pipeline.

The Councillor for Culture, Guillermo Sendra, expressed his satisfaction with the execution of both rehabilitation projects ‘as it will mean the recovery of two murals that were seriously affected by the deterioration of the façades’.