Wanting to see the activities on offer at the Campoamor Residents Drop in Centre first-hand the Orihuela Mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, stopped off in Lomas de Cabo Roig on Wednesday afternoon where he was given a tour of the centre by Norah Bond.

As well as meeting beginners in an intermediate Spanish language class the mayor tried his hand as a student of the Watercolour Art Group before moving on to join the Campoverde Players who were practising a song and dance routine. He was initially caught up in their rehearsal as he actually jigged along for a moment before settling down to introductions and an invite for the group to perform at a forthcoming council event.

The mayor in the centre library
The mayor in the centre library

After a briefing by Eva Johansson on the centre’s library the mayor was then directed to the building’s structural problems by Norah Bond. Accompanied by Councillor José Galiano and the centre caretaker he was told, and subsequently shown, the subsidence along the entire front of the building, along with the many cracks in internal walls and ceilings.

He was told that ,despite opening to the public ten years ago, the building is still without a ‘Certificate of Occupation’ and in view of it’s crumbling structure seems unlikely to ever get one.

The mayor was shown around by Norah Bond
The mayor was shown around by Norah Bond

Norah Bond asked what plans the authorities have to carry out the necessary renovation, as many of her students currently feel they are putting their safety at risk every time they enter the building.

The mayor seemed surprised at the amount of deterioration since his last visit to the property on the Orihuela-Costa and with his assessor busy scribbling down notes, he was provided with a great deal of food for thought in respect of the building’s future.

The mayor seemed surprised at the amount of deterioration since his last visit
The mayor seemed surprised at the amount of deterioration since his last visit