CalpeNoticias EN

Friday, October 31:

• Weekly markets on Avenida Rumanía and in the Petit parking lot.
• Exhibition “Banys de la Reina, the Roman Legacy.” Until December 30. Museum of Collectors (Museo del Coleccionismo).

Saturday, November 1:

• Free guided tours of Calpe's old town. 11:00 AM. Registration required: 965 836 920 / 965 838 532 / 677 912 754 or turismo@ajcalp.es

• All Saints' Day concerts at the municipal cemetery, performed by the  by the musical group Camerata Antigua, featuring Mabel Arribas (violin), Germán Moya (oboe), Juanjo Teruel (piano), and Antonio Pujol (French horn). Sessions: 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The Chair of Social Responsibility of the Valencian Regional Government at the University of Alicante, the Calpe University Campus and the consulting firm Lankoa held the second edition of the SAVE International Conference (Sustainability, Action, Volunteering and Environment) on 23, 24 and 25 October, an event that has established itself as a space for transfer, collaboration and action around sustainability, science and citizen commitment.

 During the three days of the conference, 27 experts from nine national and international universities (Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador) participated, along with representatives from eight collaborating companies and six NGOs, who shared their reflections, experiences and best practices in the areas of sustainability, social responsibility and ecological transition. In total, the conference brought together more than 200 participants, including in-person attendees, online participants and environmental volunteers.

The event combined a hybrid format between the Alicante Science Park, online sessions and the surroundings of the Peñón de Ifach Natural Park (Calpe), thus maintaining its vocation to connect academic reflection with direct action in the territory. During the official opening, the Vice-Chancellor for Students and Employment at the University of Alicante, Raúl Ruiz Callado, highlighted the value of the initiative as an example of cooperation between the university, business and civil society.

The closing ceremony was held on Saturday 25th in Calpe with a comprehensive environmental action that included the removal of marine waste from Brut de Ifac and land sweeps in Cala El Racó and Las Salinas de Calpe. Thanks to the collaboration of public administrations, universities, businesses, NGOs and citizens, more than a tonne of marine and land waste was removed, reaffirming the practical, participatory and transformative nature of the SAVE movement. The activities were part of a citizen science methodology, through the characterisation of waste and environmental awareness about the conservation of coastal ecosystems.

Although the reforestation initiative planned in Tarija (Bolivia) had to be postponed due to heavy rain and hail, it will go ahead in the coming weeks in collaboration with local partners. Information and results from this initiative will be shared on the official Instagram account @save.the.movement, reinforcing the international and ongoing nature of the movement.

KNOWLEDGE, PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMITMENT

Throughout the academic sessions, topics such as environmental education, energy transition, the circular economy and social innovation were addressed, highlighting experiences that show how cooperation between science, business and citizens can accelerate sustainable transformation. The conference also addressed the gap between awareness, science and action, emphasising the need for scientific knowledge to be translated into transformative actions and concrete solutions to current socio-environmental challenges.

 The directors of the conference, Josep Tur Vives and Iker Jimeno, gave a very positive assessment of the second edition, highlighting the capacity for collaboration among the different participating entities—from public bodies to companies and NGOs—and the strengthening of a network of alliances that will continue and resonate in the future. As they pointed out, ‘SAVE's main strengths are its power of collaboration, the synergy between diverse agents and its ability to turn knowledge into action. SAVE demonstrates that sustainability only advances if it is built collectively, bringing together science, social responsibility and citizen commitment.’
 

ORGANISATION

The 2nd SAVE International Conference has been organised by the Chair of Social Responsibility of the Valencian Regional Government at the University of Alicante, the Calpe University Campus and Lankoa, with the collaboration of universities, social entities, companies and public administrations committed to sustainability, environmental education and volunteering. The conference also reflects the University of Alicante's commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, reaffirming its role as a key player in the socio-environmental transformation and progress of the province.

Calpe Town Council, through its Tourism Planning Department, has once again launched a series of online workshops so that local businesses and tourism agents can learn about tourist accessibility. The aim of Calpe Town Council is to continue advancing in its commitment to becoming an inclusive tourist destination.

This action is part of a broader project to consolidate inclusive tourism, as set out in the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD), which is supported by the Regional Ministry of Tourism of the Valencian Community - Turisme Comunitat Valenciana - and the Secretary of State for Tourism within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) financed by the European Union - Next Generation.

Six workshops have been organised: how to interact with people with disabilities if I work in accommodation, how to interact with people with disabilities if I work in a restaurant, how to interact with people with disabilities if I work in a tourist office or am a tourist guide, how to make a business accessible, communicating for everyone on social media, and keys to organising an inclusive event.

Each course consists of several sessions comprising short video lessons (between 10 and 30 minutes) in which teachers explain specific topics using real-life examples to make the content easy to understand and practical. Interested parties can enroll in the courses they wish based on their interests and can view them as many times as they like for a period of 30 days.

As part of the project to consolidate inclusive tourism set out in the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan, other actions are planned, such as awareness campaigns aimed at the general public on the importance of the town being an accessible tourist destination adapted to people with all types of functional diversity. In addition, publicity campaigns will be launched to promote the town as an accessible holiday destination.

Calpe Town Council has removed twelve date palm trees from Ejércitos Españoles Avenue due to the risk of them falling. The previous company awarded the contract for the maintenance of palm trees had already produced a report indicating that several palm trees had damage to their trunks, narrowing or cavities, as well as pronounced inclinations.

All these circumstances could cause the palm trees to fall as a result of the wind, as already happened with several trees in 2024, or because they were affected by the red palm weevil.

Therefore, taking advantage of the renovation work on the cycle lane, the Environment Department considered it advisable to replace 12 palm trees with mulberry trees to improve the safety of people and property and also to create shaded areas on this avenue.

On the other hand, a few days ago, the municipal gardening brigades carried out pruning work on a group of palm trees located at the intersection of La Niña Street and Ejércitos Españoles Avenue, as the tops of the palm trees were colliding with a high-voltage power line. Iberdrola workers had to cut off the electricity supply so that the gardeners could work safely, and once the work was completed, the line was restored.

Calpe Town Council has announced the winners of the 10th Open Air Painting Competition, an artistic event that is now firmly established in the municipality's cultural calendar and which last Saturday brought together numerous participants of different ages and backgrounds in the streets of the historic centre.

The competition, organised by the Culture Council, aims to promote pictorial creativity in the urban and natural environment of the municipality, as well as to support local artists and encourage art among the younger population.

In this tenth edition, several categories have been established: adults, children and young people, and the winners are as follows:

Adult category

First prize: Jessica González Prados

Second prize: Paco Rojas García

Third prize: Juan Carlos Isarte Muñoz

Best local adult artist: Jesús Rondón Corro

Children's category

First prize: Mykhailo Trukhachev

Second prize: Valeria Cheosa

Third prize: Maria Vlasyuk

Best local child artist: Marina Linares Kolesnikova

Youth category

Winner: Laura Aparicio Caballero

This year, the high artistic level of the works submitted and the participation of both residents and visitors, who came to enjoy the cultural atmosphere generated during the competition, which was enlivened by the music band, stood out.

The winning works will soon be on display in an exhibition.

The video surveillance cameras installed to improve safety and monitor traffic have solved three accidents in their first month of operation. The cameras have helped solve a hit-and-run collision between a van and a lorry, an accident involving an injured scooter driver and conflicting accounts between the parties, and a hit-and-run accident involving three vehicles.

A month ago, the City Council installed a network of 16 video surveillance cameras on the five main roads in the municipality. This is the first phase of an ambitious traffic monitoring and control plan. All the information from the images is sent to the traffic control centre installed in the Local Police headquarters. The Local Police are responsible for monitoring and viewing the cameras from their headquarters, and an officer has been assigned to this task and has received the appropriate training.

The intention of the Departments of Public Safety and IT is to continue this process by implementing a second phase in which the network of cameras will be extended to other areas of the municipality. The aim is to reinforce security in Calpe, monitor traffic and obtain data management tools to analyse traffic and pedestrian flow levels. A budget of €100,000 has already been allocated to carry out the second phase of this project.

The deadline for submitting applications for the 2025 Baby Voucher is 10 November. This is a grant of up to €500 for the purchase of essential children's products, childcare items, clothing, pharmacy and para-pharmacy products, baby food, etc. purchased from local shops.

This call is aimed at families with children born or adopted between the ages of 0 and 3 who have at least one parent registered in Calpe for the last 5 years. In addition, the applicant must be in one of the following situations: 1) Unemployed, 2) Temporary redundancy (ERTE), 3) Household income below 4 times the IPREM, 4) Large family in the general category, or single-parent family with a dependent child, or with a disability of up to 33% of any of its members, or victims of gender violence, or young people under 30 years of age; the household income must be below 4.5 times the IPREM, 5) Persons with a disability of more than 33%, with a special category large family, the household income must be below 5 times the IPREM

Eligible expenses are hygiene products, pharmaceuticals, clothing, complementary items and others of the same nature intended for the minor. The grants are also directly linked to the promotion and revitalisation of local trade, as they can only be used in shops that have a licence to operate in the municipality of Calpe. These grants serve a dual purpose: on the one hand, to support families with the expenses associated with the early years, and on the other, to encourage consumption in local shops.

To be eligible for this aid, parents must provide invoices for products purchased from the date of birth and/or adoption until the date of submission of the aid application. Aid can be requested online or in person at the Citizen Service Office.

Friday, 24:

• • Balconadas in the historic centre of Calpe. Calles Purísima, San José, Justícia, Dos de Mayo and the squares Mosquit, Miguel Roselló and Plaza de España

• • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, la huella romana’ (The Queen's Baths, the Roman footprint). Until 30 December. Museo del Coleccionismo

• • Collective photography exhibition ‘Imperial’, tribute to Carlos Balsalobre. Until 31 October. Exhibition hall of the Casa de Cultura. (Avda. Masnou, 1). Organised by Foto Club Ifach.

Saturday, 25:

• • Balconadas in the historic centre of Calpe. Purísima, San José, Justícia, Dos de Mayo streets and Mosquit, Miguel Roselló and Plaza de España squares.

• • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, la huella romana’ (The Queen's Baths, the Roman footprint). Until 30 December. Museo del Coleccionismo

• • Collective photography exhibition ‘Imperial’, tribute to Carlos Balsalobre. Until 31 October. Exhibition hall at the Casa de Cultura. (Avda. Masnou, 1). Organised by Foto Club Ifach.

• • SAVE marine conservation day at Cala el Racó (Calpe). More information: https://forms.gle/RutmWeNzUL8UNHLHA

• • 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 10th Outdoor Painting Competition 2025. Historic centre.

• • 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Guided tours of the historic centre of Calpe. Advance registration: turismo@ajCalpe.es.
  • 8:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. ‘Germans’ theatre by the Esclafit company. Casa de Cultura Auditorium. (Avda. Masnou, 1)

Sunday, 26th:

• • Balconadas in the historic centre of Calpe. Purísima, San José, Justícia and Dos de Mayo streets and Mosquit, Miguel Roselló and Plaza de España squares.
  • ‘Banys de la Reina, la huella romana’ exhibition. Until 30 December. Museo del Coleccionismo
  • ‘Imperial’ collective photography exhibition, tribute to Carlos Balsalobre. Until 31 October. Casa de Cultura exhibition hall. (Avda. Masnou, 1). Organised by Foto Club Ifach.
  • 12:30 pm. Pink March against Breast Cancer. Departure: Plaza Mayor.

Friday, 17:

• • Balconadas in the historic centre of Calpe. Purísima, San José, Justícia and Dos de Mayo streets and Mosquit, Miguel Roselló and Plaza de España squares.
• • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, la huella romana’ (The Queen's Baths, the Roman footprint). Until 30 December. Museo del Coleccionismo
• • Collective photography exhibition ‘Imperial’, tribute to Carlos Balsalobre. Until 31 October. Exhibition hall of the Casa de Cultura. (Avda. Masnou, 1). Organised by Foto Club Ifach.
• • 1:00 p.m. – Announcement of the start of the festival. Ringing of bells and gun salutes.
• • 6:30 p.m. – Entry of bands from Plaza Colón to Plaza del Mosquit.
• • 7:30 p.m. – Parade through the town centre by the Moorish and Christian groups to Plaza Mayor.
• • 8:00 p.m. – Festival proclamation and raising of banners in Plaza Mayor.

At the end of the ceremony, offering of candles to Santíssim Crist de la Suor in the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves.

• 12:30 a.m. – Parade of all the groups from Calle Justicia to Plaza Constitución. Afterwards, all the bands will entertain us with three marches.
• 1:30 a.m. – Dance of the Christian Captaincy in the Filà Mozárabes de Ifach (Arco Iris Park).

Saturday, 18th:

• • Balconadas in the historic centre of Calpe. Calles Purísima, San José, Justícia, Dos de Mayo and the plazas Mosquit, Miguel Roselló and Plaza de España.
• • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, la huella romana’ (The Queen's Baths, the Roman footprint). Until 30th December. Museo del Coleccionismo.
• • Collective photography exhibition ‘Imperial’, tribute to Carlos Balsalobre. Until 31 October. Exhibition hall of the Casa de Cultura. (Avda. Masnou, 1). Organised by Foto Club Ifach.
• • 9:30 a.m. – Christian and Moorish reveille starting at Plaza del Mosquit.
• • 6:30 p.m. – Christian and Moorish entrance ‘Parade’ on Avenida Gabriel Miró.

Sunday, 19:

• • Balconadas in the historic centre of Calpe. Purísima, San José, Justícia, Dos de Mayo streets and Mosquit, Miguel Roselló and Plaza de España squares.
• • Exhibition ‘Banys de la Reina, la huella romana’ (The Queen's Baths, the Roman footprint). Until 30 December. Museo del Coleccionismo
• • Collective photographic exhibition ‘Imperial’, tribute to Carlos Balsalobre. Until 31 October. Exhibition hall of the Casa de Cultura. (Avda. Masnou, 1). Organised by Foto Club Ifach.
  • 11:00 a.m. – Landing and First Battle on Arenal-Bol Beach
• • 7:00 p.m. – Children's Parade on Avenida Gabriel Miró.
• • 12:00 a.m. – Dance of the Moorish Captaincy at the Filà Tuareg (Carrer de Fora).

The Calpe-based NGO Visió Sense Fronteres  (Vision Without Borders), coordinated by Isabel Signes, returned this week from Kenya after a new campaign to prevent and treat blindness. This NGO has been visiting Kenya at least once a year since 2011 with the aim of performing cataract surgeries and, on occasions, training ophthalmological staff in the area.

A medical team consisting of three ophthalmologists, two nurses, three optometrists and a volunteer travelled to the Samburu province in the north of the country and performed a total of 158 eye surgeries, including six children born with congenital bilateral cataracts who were able to see for the first time thanks to this operation. As in previous years, Calp Town Council is collaborating with Visió Sense Fronteres in its charitable activities.

Visió Sense Fronteres is a registered charity that works to prevent blindness in two of its most important causes, cataracts and uncorrected refractive error. Today, 300 members and benefactors permanently support and finance Visió Sense Fronteres. The team consists of more than 40 volunteers. In its more than 25 years of existence, the NGO has helped more than 109,077 people, performed 11,353 cataract surgeries and donated more than 40,700 pairs of glasses.

Calpe will begin its programme of events tomorrow to celebrate the “Moros y Cristianos” festivities in honour of Cristo del Sudor, patron saint of the town, organised by the “Moros y Cristianos” Association in collaboration with the Town Council.

Tomorrow, Thursday 16 October, the programme will kick off with the presentation of the Festival Book and the official presentation of the Town Crier for the 2025 “Moros y Cristianos” Festival, Inma Morató, chairwoman of the “Moros y Cristianos” Association, followed by a concert of festive music by the Calpe-Ifach Musical Union in the Auditorium of the Casa de Cultura. At the end, the First Night of Cabos de Escuadra will be held together with the Calpe-Ifach Musical Union on Avenida Masnou.

On Friday 17th at 1 p.m., the ringing of bells and salutes will announce the start of the festivities. In the afternoon at 6.30 p.m., the bands will parade through the streets of the town, and at 8 p.m. the banners will be raised, and the festivities will be announced in the Plaza Mayor.

At the end of the flag-raising ceremony, all the ‘filaes’ and the 2025 Festival Committee will parade to the church to make the offering of candles to the patron saint. At 12:30 a.m., the “Moros y Cristianos” will gather for a parade from Calle Justicia to Plaza Constitución. And at 1:30 a.m., the Christian Captaincy Dance will take place at the Filá Mozárabes de Ifach (Arco Iris Park).

On Saturday, 18th, the events will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the reveille from Plaza del Mosquit. At 6:30 p.m., the Grand Christian and Moorish Entrance will begin, from Calle Benissa to Plaza Colón. The Grand Entrance of the Moors and Christians are one of the most emblematic events of the festivities. The parade of “Moros y Cristianos” troops travels along the town's main avenue, Gabriel Miró, until it reaches Arenal Beach, bringing together thousands of residents and attracting numerous visitors and tourists who admire the spectacular and unique nature of the Calpee parade. For the most representative positions, captains, flag bearers and ensigns, it is the culmination of a whole year of effort and work. Ballets, animals, music and fire characterise the captains' pageantry, which thrills the public.

This will be the big moment for the “Moros y Cristianos” captains of 2025, Adrián Romero from the Filà Tuareg and Ángel García from the Filà Mozárabes, accompanied by the favourite, Fini Ortiz, and the First Lady, Estefanía Moll. Another important role is that of Standard Bearer of the “Asociación de Moros y Cristianos”, which this year falls to Celia González Jorro, from Berberiscos, and the “Moros y Cristianos” ensigns, Marc Císcar from Marins Corsaris and Marc Sala from Berberiscos.

On Sunday 19th, at 11 a.m., the Landing and First Battle will take place on Arenal-Bol Beach. This event represents the arrival of the Muslim hordes on Arenal Beach. The barges of the Moorish ‘filaes’ depart from the fishing port and arrive at Arenal Beach, where they begin to disembark to start the battle. The roar of arquebuses fills the air. The Moorish troops win the first battle and march up Gabriel Miró Avenue to the Plaza Mayor, while the Christian troops retreat to await the second battle.

 In the afternoon, at 7 pm, the Children's Parade is scheduled, undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable events on the programme, in which the little ones take centre stage. And in the evening, the Moorish Captaincy Dance will be held at the Filá Tuareg (Carrer de Fora)

On Tuesday 21 October, the programme of festivities resumes with the celebration at 8.30 pm of the Parliament and Second Battle ‘El Miracle’ in the Plaza Mayor.  The ‘Miracle’ is the emotional representation that makes the Calpe festival unique. The children of Calpe announce the arrival of the Muslim troops with the cry of ‘Foc en Ifac!, Moors on the coast!’, the Christians retreat behind the wall, but no one expects Moncófar's betrayal. This character, key to the performance, begins a parliament with the Christian ambassador. This passage of the Miracle is undoubtedly one of the most emotional and memorable.

Moncófar betrays the people of Calpe and surrenders to the Moorish ambassador to help the Saracens take the city. The battle of arquebuses shakes the Plaza Mayor and when all seems lost, a small man, Caragol, manages to close the gates of the wall thanks to the intercession of the patron saint, Santíssim Crist de la Suor. The castle is illuminated with the image of Christ and Moncófar falls at his feet. The performance is based, with considerable artistic licence, on the historical events of 22 October 1744 and is repeated every year, arousing the same emotion among the gathered residents. In the evening, the Association's Flag Bearer's dance is scheduled to take place at the Filá Berberiscos (Calle la Ermita).

On Wednesday 22nd, the feast day of the patron saint, the Santísimo Cristo del Sudor, a solemn mass will be held at 12 noon in the Plaza Mayor in honour of the patron saint. After the mass, there will be a spectacular ‘mascletá’ (firework display) and the image of Christ will be returned to the church. In the afternoon, at 7 pm, there will be a solemn procession through the streets of the old town, followed by a night-time mascletà in the Plaza Mayor.

The events will conclude with a Mass for the dead, which will be held on Thursday 23rd October at 7.30 pm in the Virgen de las Nieves Parish Church.

The Court dismisses Iberpark's appeal and rules in favour of the City Council in the process of awarding the service to Estacionamientos y Servicios SAU

This morning, Calpe Town Council received the ruling from the Administrative Court for Contractual Appeals, which has agreed to dismiss the appeal lodged by the company Estacionamiento Iberpark against the award of the limited parking service to Estacionamientos y Servicios SAU. This lifts the precautionary measures suspending the contracting procedure and means that the contract can be signed and the service can be launched.

Last July, the Procurement Department made a proposal to award the regulated parking service on public roads to the company Estacionamientos y Servicios SAU for the offered amount of €575,000. However, the second bidding company, Iberpark, appealed.

The contract had previously been appealed and the TARC agreed to retroact the procedure so that the contracting committee could require the bidder to justify the abnormality of its bid and the viability of its proposal.

This marks the end of an administrative process in which two of the bidding companies have appealed and in which the TARC has intervened on two occasions. The tendering procedure was halted and compliance with administrative deadlines prevented the blue zone from starting during the summer.

The most notable feature of the new contract is the reduction in the blue zone tariff for residents and traders by almost 50%, while in the orange zone (beach area) the reduction for residents and traders is 22%.

Thus, if until now the hourly rate in the blue zone for residents was €0.40, it will now be €0.25, and in the orange zone it will go from €0.45 per hour to €0.35 per hour. However, the general rate for the blue zone has increased from £0.85 per hour to £1.10 per hour, and in the orange zone from £0.95 per hour to £1.45 per hour.

This change in rates is intended to benefit residents, who will see a reduction in the cost of parking in regulated parking areas.

The timetables are also being changed, as until now the maximum time allowed in the blue zone was two hours and in the orange zone was three hours, and with the new regulations it will be three hours and six hours respectively.

Other changes include the absorption of the green zone into the blue zone, i.e. the green zone, which was a regulated parking zone only in the morning, will disappear, and the elimination of the mixed orange zone. This means that the blue zone will now have 920 parking lots and the orange zone 1135 lots.

In addition, the specifications establish as an investment the replacement of those parking meters that do not allow payment by credit card. Furthermore, the concessionaire must provide a tow truck service. The annual fee proposed in the specifications is €350,000 plus VAT, and the company proposed for the award offers a fee of €575,000.

Yesterday's ordinary plenary session initially approved the ordinance on the use of municipal sports facilities in Calpe, a document that regulates the use and management of municipal sports facilities for the first time.

The ordinance sets out the opening hours and public holidays for the facilities, divides the sports areas and access to them into sectors, makes an inventory of the facilities and establishes the general rules for authorising the use of the facilities. The ordinance determines four types of use of the facilities: free, ordinary, extraordinary and sporting events, and establishes how to access them in each case, whether or not a reservation is necessary and the application procedure.

The ordinance distributes the reservation times for use of the facilities according to age, so that sports activities for minors are at times appropriate for their age. Specific rules for the use of each sports facility are also regulated. The document provides for the reservation of facilities by regional or national sports federations for official championships or gatherings. It also establishes a series of rules that must be complied with by all users and sets out the penalties for misuse of the facilities.

The ordinance aims to fulfil a threefold objective: to promote and encourage sport for everyone, forever; to expand the range of municipal sports on offer; and to regulate and facilitate access to sports facilities for all citizens.

Another point amended the Vehicle Tax Ordinance to ensure that the rebate provided for in Article 6.1 can be enjoyed by all vehicle owners who meet the conditions set out in that section, and not only by those who have made new purchases. This removes a limitation that restricted access to the tax benefit and grants equal treatment to all taxpayers based on the objective characteristics of their vehicle and its potential for pollution.

Yesterday's plenary session also approved the local public holidays for 2026, which will be Wednesday 5 August, the feast day of the patron saint Mare de Dèu de les Neus, and Thursday 22 October, the feast day of the patron saint Santíssim Crist de la Suor.

Today's plenary session will address the request by Calpe Town Council to the Regional Ministry of Education and Culture for the reversion of a 9,365.90 m2 plot of land located on Avenida Rumanía, which the Council had previously ceded to the Regional Ministry for the construction of an educational centre.

In August 2013, the plenary session of the Town Council approved the transfer of ownership of the plot at Avenida Rumanía no. 34 to the Regional Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport for the purpose of creating educational facilities on the site. However, this plot was not considered suitable due to its size and the new secondary school was planned for another location.

The conditions required at the time by the Regional Ministry of Education specified that in the event of non-compliance with the purposes for which the plot was transferred, the provisions of Article 111 of the Local Authority Property Regulations would apply, i.e. for a maximum period of five years, with the prior request of the City Council being necessary for the reversion. As the stipulated five-year period has expired, the request for reversion must now be agreed upon by the plenary session.

The government team intends to recover this plot of land, which is classified as public land, to consolidate a public housing project there. Although it is still under study, the objective is to draft and put out to tender a project and for the concessionaire company to build and manage the homes for sale or public rental.

The Calpe Housing Plan is currently being put out to tender. It will study the housing situation, paying particular attention to the analysis of the population and residential demand, the municipality's housing stock, the housing supply and market, and the impact of territorial and urban planning on the residential sector. In addition, the plan must consider the study of municipal resources and instruments - for example, subsidies, acquisition of housing by the local administration, etc. - at the service of housing policies.

The Plan will also propose a suitably timed action programme.

This week, Calpe Town Council began work on creating perimeter strips in the Sierra de Oltà mountains to prevent forest fires. This initiative is part of the implementation of the Local Forest Fire Prevention Plan and is included in the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD), which is supported by the Valencian Regional Ministry of Tourism - Turisme Comunitat Valenciana - and the Secretary of State for Tourism within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) financed by the European Union - Next Generation.

The project, which has been awarded to the company Levanfor SL for a total of €153,000, will be carried out over two years. This year, perimeter strips will be created between the Oltà mountain range and the Corralets, Cucarres and Oltamar residential areas, and in 2026, these protection areas will be implemented along the roads in Oltà to prevent the spread of possible forest fires.

‘This project contributes to Calpe's adaptation to the challenges posed by climate change with the aim of making it a more resilient municipality and also better prepared to manage fire-related risks,’ said Pere Moll.

With the support of the Regional Ministry of Tourism of the Valencian Community - Turisme Comunitat Valenciana - and the Secretary of State for Tourism within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) financed by the European Union - Next Generation

Calpe (10-10-2025). Last evening, Calpe celebrated 9th October, Valencian Community Day, with the presentation of the 31st Jaume Pastor i Fluixà Award and Medals of the Town.

The children's activities and musical performances planned for yesterday had to be cancelled due to the rain, and the awards ceremony, which was to be held in the Plaza Mayor, was moved to the Casa de Cultura Auditorium.

However, the rain could not dampen an event full of emotion that serves to recognise and thank those individuals, groups and institutions from a wide range of fields who have contributed to improving the society in which we live.

In this edition, coinciding with its 30th anniversary, the ‘Jaume Pastor i Fluixà-9 d'octubre’ award was given to CREAMA (Consortium for the Economic Recovery and Activity of the Marina Alta) in recognition of its three decades of work as a driving force behind the regional economy and its role as the backbone of the Marina Alta. The manager of the Consortium, Rosario Donderis, was responsible for collecting the award and pointed out that ‘through joint work, public service, economic revitalisation and proximity, CREAMA has been able to stand by the people and act as a backbone for the region by promoting plurality’.

The Citizen Merit Award was also presented to Remedios Tomás Soler, a recently retired municipal official attached to the Protocol Department who has been involved for years in organising the Jaume Pastor i Fluixà-9 d'Octubre awards.

The Sports Merit Award went to Calpe swimmers Miguel Ferrer Roselló and Manuel Farrona Clavero for their sporting careers as open water swimmers and their promotion of this sport in the municipality. The Tourism Merit Award was also presented to Plus Holidays, a company founded in the 1970s as a construction and property management company that has become a leading holiday rental agency in Spain in recent years.

The Medal for Cultural Merit was awarded to Pere Tur i Sala, an environmental activist, columnist, writer and cultural promoter, and member of the Institute of Calpe Studies (IEC). The Medal for Business Merit was awarded to the Tango-La Sentadilla group, a company dedicated to the operation of restaurants, bars and cafés, which originated in Calpe and has promoted the local hospitality industry in recent years.

This year's Youth Award goes to Marco Carrión from Calpee, a professional Spanish and flamenco dancer who is currently performing in the best dance productions in the country. This year's Corbata de la Villa award went to the Calpe Fibromyalgia Association for raising awareness of this disease and breaking the silence and barriers that still exist around it.

The ceremony began with the entire government team on stage and the institutional manifesto written for Valencian Community Day. This year, Councillor Juan Manuel del Pino read the text. The ceremony closed with a performance of the Valencian anthem by tenor José Luis Luri.

INSTITUTIONAL MANIFESTO 9 OCTOBER 2025

Today, 9 October, we commemorate the creation of the Kingdom of Valencia by King Jaume I. A date that symbolises the birth of a collective identity, that of a people who, from their origins, knew how to find their greatest strength in diversity.

Today we celebrate not only a historical event, but everything it represents: a commitment to our roots, respect for our language and culture, and a shared desire to build a better society for all.

Every 9th of October offers us the opportunity to look back with gratitude, but also to look to the future with responsibility. Because being Valencian is not just a legacy, it is also a daily choice: to work together, defend our values, care for our territory and continue to move forward with a steady pace and a broad vision.

The Valencian Community has demonstrated, time and time again, its ability to overcome difficulties. The storm that hit our community last October exemplifies the values of solidarity, empathy and resilience that define us. We are a land that has moved forward with effort, with the strength of its citizens, with its entrepreneurial initiative, its cultural talent, its agricultural wealth, and with a vocation for tourism that has opened our doors to the world.

Nevertheless, we continue to face significant challenges. Challenges such as improving the regional financing system to ensure equity between territories and strengthen public services. Or the need to provide municipalities with greater resources and powers so that we can respond more efficiently to the demands of our residents.

Local administrations, such as town councils, have proven to be an essential pillar of social cohesion, especially in times of crisis. It is essential that their voice is heard and that their role is recognised with greater autonomy and better funding.

Other urgent challenges include environmental protection, decent access to housing, digital transformation, the fight against job insecurity and real equality between women and men. Immigration and the protection of our identity are further challenges that we must address. And we must face all these challenges through dialogue, common sense and a willingness to reach consensus.

From Calpe, we want to express our commitment to this shared future. We are a plural, inclusive and dynamic municipality. A place where people of more than a hundred nationalities live together, where each culture contributes and each resident finds a home. And it is precisely this human wealth that makes Calpe a reflection of the best of the Valencian spirit: welcoming, enterprising and supportive.

That is why, on this special day, we renew our commitment to the values of justice, coexistence and progress. We call for a Valencian Community that leaves no one behind, that is committed to inclusion, that looks to the future with hope and that continues to grow without losing its essence.

Today, Calpe joins the Valencian people to celebrate our history, to honour our identity and to reaffirm our desire to continue building a free, equal and cohesive society.

Happy 9th of October to everyone. Thank you.

This week saw the kick-off of the first edition of the “Welcome School” in Calpe, a voluntary training programme aimed at migrants with the aim of facilitating their integration into Valencian society. This is a pioneering initiative in the municipality reinforcing the institutional commitment to inclusion and social cohesion.

The course will run until 12 December at the Punt Jove and will be attended by 38 students of different nationalities, aged between 18 and 35.

Throughout the training, participants will receive essential information on topics such as immigration, housing, education, health and employment, as well as basic notions of legislation and rights. The programme also includes teaching of Spanish and Valencian, as well as content on the geography and history of the European Union, Spain and the Valencian Community.

In addition, the fundamentals of democratic structure and the values that govern coexistence, such as equality between men and women, human rights and tolerance, will be addressed.

The “Welcome School” is a key tool for moving towards a more cohesive, informed and participatory society, offering migrants the resources they need to actively integrate into the social and community life of the municipality.

Although maintenance of the municipality's drainage and rainwater collection network is carried out continuously and preventively throughout the year, before the start of the autumn season, with the likelihood of rainfall, Aguas de Calpe conducts a thorough inspection and cleaning campaign of the rainwater drainage network. The aim is to prevent possible incidents and reduce the risk of flooding.

This work consists of cleaning the collectors and rainwater collection points with a self-suction tanker truck and by manual means. In this way, sediment, leaves and other accumulated waste have been removed to ensure the proper functioning of the sanitation network. During August and September, 515 rainwater collection points were checked and cleaned in a total of 77 streets or roads in the municipality.

Aguas de Calpe, as the manager of the municipal sanitation network and the municipal public rainwater drainage network, is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of surface runoff collection drains to prevent problems caused by the poor condition of the drainage networks.

However, the Town Council stresses the need to avoid the improper use of grates, drains and toilets, reminding residents of the serious damage caused to the network by waste such as wipes and other disposable hygiene products. These items, although they may seem harmless, can block pipes and cause damage that complicates the functioning of the system.

Calpe Town Council has launched a public consultation to gather citizens' opinions as part of the process of drawing up the municipality's first Citizen Participation and Open Government Plan. This initiative aims to create a roadmap that actively involves the population in the municipality's collective affairs and enables the development of more transparent, inclusive and effective public policies.

Through a survey available in Spanish, Valencian and English, Calpe residents are invited to express their level of interest in public affairs, their perception of their ability to influence municipal decisions and the barriers that hinder their participation. They are also asked for their opinion on which issues they consider to be priorities, such as urban planning, the environment or budgets, and on the most effective channels of information for communicating with the Council.

The consultation will be open until 19 October and can be easily accessed via the Council's citizen participation portal:

https://governobert.calp.es

With this initiative, Calpe Town Council reaffirms its commitment to improving democratic quality and promoting a local administration that is more accessible, participatory and oriented towards the real needs of citizens.

For more information and direct access to the survey:

https://governobert.calp.es/PortadaParticipacion/#!/procesos-participativos/enquesta-participacio-ciutadana/info

Calpe has once again been recognised with “3 Honour Flowers” at the Viles en Flor Comunitat Valenciana programme gala, held this year in Alberic (Ribera Alta). This award recognises Calpe's commitment to environmental improvement, urban beautification, sustainable management of green areas and public awareness.

Viles en Flor is an initiative promoted by the ASFPLANT Foundation (Professional Association of Flowers, Plants and Horticultural Technology of the Valencian Community). The programme promotes sustainable development in Valencian municipalities through the care of parks, gardens, urban trees and landscaping, as well as encouraging environmental education and citizen participation.

Each year, a technical jury awards between 1 and 5 ‘Flowers of Honour’ after evaluating the actions carried out by the participating municipalities. In this year's edition, Calpe has once again been awarded three flowers, consolidating its position among the leading municipalities in green management and sustainability.

The jury particularly valued Calpe's efforts in conserving its natural environment and managing its public garden spaces. Some notable facts: 437,010 m² of green areas, with a ratio of 19.23 m² per inhabitant, 115 different plant species present in urban spaces, 3 plant species unique to its territory: Silene ifacensis, Allium subvillosum, Teucrium buxifolium ssp. Ifacensis. In addition to the presence of unique natural environments such as the Peñón de Ifach Natural Park, the Calpe Salt Flats and several micro-reserves of flora.

The recognition awarded at this gala not only highlights the work already done, but also promotes new objectives and strategies in the field of local sustainability. Calpe Town Council has expressed its gratitude to the entire technical team and municipal gardening staff who have made this distinction possible, as well as to the citizens who contribute every day to the care of the urban environment.

Among the upcoming challenges, the municipality plans to incorporate technology into irrigation and maintenance management, increase the area of green spaces and ecological corridors, and promote environmental education and participatory gardening. In addition to continuing to work towards obtaining a fourth flower in future editions.