Place children’s play areas up against faceless and apparently heartless bureaucracy and there was only ever going to be one winner where the public was concerned.
The combined authoritative might of the regional environment ministry and the Costas threatens the existence of the playgrounds and picnic area on stretches of Puerto Pollensa. The town hall, which has been chastised by the opposition for a failure to negotiate this matter adequately with the Costas, has fired off a series of submissions opposing the withdrawal of these facilities. Included among them is one which states that it should not be obligatory to dismantle them in winter (assuming they haven’t had to be dismantled permanently) because they serve a function in winter. And so they do. Playgrounds, unlike tourism, are 365 days a year.
Chief among the town hall’s justifications is the fact that the beach is of an urban and artificial nature. As noted last week, this is an important point, as a distinction has to be made between this classification and one of “rustic”. Urban beach simply isn’t subject to the same environmental rules and regulations, such as a requirement to dismantle in winter. Anyway, it would appear that the situation hadn’t been as cut and dried as was being made out; not where the Costas are concerned, at any rate.
On Tuesday, sources let it be known that it hadn’t actually come to any decision about the playgrounds and picnic area and that it still hasn’t come to a decision. The authority is waiting for submissions, which it has received from the town hall administration and from the main opposition group at the town hall, Junts Avançam. It is also waiting on a report from the regional environment ministry before taking a decision that might authorise the town hall to maintain the facilities.
One suspects that the Costas may have also been made aware of public opinion.