New images of improved harbour village

See previous post 

Works in Vueltas now completed

Part of the new look Vueltas village showing the newly-reopened bar La Yesca on left  (Image © gomeranoticias )

The remodelling of the fishing village of Vueltas which is also the commercial hub of Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera has been achieved and finished in what must be a record time, considering that some works take ages and/or end unfinished.
The road and pavement are both at the same level, allowing easy access even for wheelchairs. Badly needed street lighting and other urban furniture has been added and the whole area looks much more inviting.
I will post a detailed report with more pictures once I'll be there in autumn.

Controversy as work begins on harbour village facelift

Yesterday morning in Vueltas
(Images courtesy of VINO TINTO'

Yesterday morning work began on the long overdue revamp and pedestrianisation of the quirky harbour town of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera.

(see: Pedestrianisation of Vueltas a step closer to reality)

However, as soon as work had begun near the banana packing plant some local people were protesting to the foreman about the positioning of some construction materials and the white container (see image). They were demanding the removal of same to a location in the outer harbour. It appears that this will be done and that work will continue, but further shouting and protesting can be expected as there is a small but very vociferous group of people in Valle Gran Rey who will fight even the most insignificant issues. The mottos seem to be 'Not within a mile of my front door!' or 'No change at all!'. Due to this pressure sometimes plans have to be amended so many times that the money allocated to certain projects runs out before work can be completed. Let's hope that this time they'll succeed in completing the long-overdue tidy-up of what is one of the most vibrant villages on La Gomera - without too much controversy. 
UPDATE 11 am:
The small group of short-sighted protesters have again attacked the workers on site this morning and these appear to have downed tools. The local government have called for an urgent meeting of all authorities and the contractors involved. Now the main issue of contention appears to be the timing of the commencement of the works as it coincides with the beginning of peak tourist season. Poorly scribbled graffiti has appeared on the wall of the banana packing plant and on the container site office which roughly translates as ''No to the works at this time. The district of Vueltas''. In my opinion there's never a good time for building noise and disruption, but when things need to get done, the sooner one starts the sooner it will be finished - promising a better future. There isn't a tourist destination in the world that doesn't have building and repair work disruption even during peak season. 
The newly smeared childish graffiti doesn't make the area any more attractive and its quality is indicative...

Pedestrianisation of Vueltas a step closer to reality

Vueltas seen from the new pier

The long overdue revamp of the harbour town of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera is to go ahead finally with some modifications to the original plans. 

The work to be carried out will cost just over 600.000 Euros and an official announcement has been published inviting contractors to tender for the job. The duration of the construction phase is set at eight months and the work is to be carried out in three distinct phases to minimise traffic disruption. It is expected that work will begin later this summer.

Politicians, officials and  Canarian TV on a walkabout discussing the plans with residents in the centre of Vueltas recently

Plans for harbour village closer to reality

Vueltas seen from the unfinished outer harbour

The regional government of the island of La Gomera has finally approved a revamp of the long-neglected harbour village of Vueltas in the south-western municipal area of Valle Gran Rey. While all other town centres on La Gomera have got a tidy-up with main thoroughfares made level, wheelchair friendly, and were traffic-calmed and smartened-up for all users with flowers and a more agreeable ambience, Valle Gran Rey with its central port of Vueltas however remained stuck in the concrete-laden 70's, forming an obstacle course for pedestrians making it almost impossible to negotiate with a pram or wheelchair. To this day there  are no bins, hardly any street lights and no greenery to speak of, while still maintaining the charm of the previous fishing village before the developers came.

One of the lanes of Vueltas

All this is about to change as the official announcement promises the redevelopment of 43.000 square metres of Vueltas with a traffic-calmed central road and plants, trees, benches and other amenities. The proposal was published in the official BOP document yesterday. The envisaged clean-up will cost 609.280 Euros and 38 Cents (how do they ever figure it out to the exact Cent, I wonder), and the duration of construction is to take eight months only.

Hooray, with a bit of luck finally we might move away from a sprawl lacking shade, ambience and basic facilities - forward to cleaner, greener, better times. Once the revamp is completed we might get a harbour area that can compete again with those in much less developed countries abroad. The natural charms are there, all it now needs is a clean-up that upgrades the village. See: The plans for Vueltas and: An overview of the Vueltas situation

Vueltas inner harbour and beach

Vueltas village: The plans

At a meeting with residents and business owners of the harbour village of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, the following plans of the island's government and the local administration for pedestrianisation and upgrading of the existing centre of the town were hotly discussed. The construction of phase one was said to take only eight months and vehicular access for residents and business is guaranteed at all times. Click on images to enlarge.

See previous post: Harbour town of Vueltas to get overdue revamp

Dark green: Pedestrian - Blue: Parks - Red: Two way traffic - Black:Restricted
one way traffic Orange: Existing pedestrian lanes - Dark red: New parking 

Grey zones 4 and 5 will remain parking initially - later to be
transformed into parks when additional parking (blue) is created

Paving and levelling

Proposed street furniture, paving and trees 

Street lighting

Traffic flow during construction phases 1-3