The La Zenia Emergency Centre has now been opened. The Mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana, hosted a guided tour around the centre on Saturday morning, with only The Leader Newspaper representing the press.
The mayor explained that the centre will accommodate representatives of the Civil Guard (complaints office), National Police and Immigration, Local Police, Civil Protection, Firefighters and Forest Guard, SVB and Red Cross.
The main ground floor of 1,500 square meters will provide most of the public services with reception and offices for all the services listed above. There are also changing rooms and training rooms, a basement of 1,900 square meters with parking, archives, cells and a gymnasium. The top floor is still a building site, however but when completed it will likely host a SAMUR unit.
Outside the building there is public parking for in excess of 50 vehicles and a helipad which can be used as required.
Although all of the offices are still empty of personnel they are gradually being equipped, many already fitted with furniture, computers and servers.
The Protección Civil were the first service to take up occupancy as a group of about twenty volunteers were provided with their own tour by the councillor for emergencies, Víctor Valverde. It is understood that many of the other public services will start moving to on Monday (25 April).
The Security and Emergency Centre is one of the historical claims of the residents of Orihuela Costa but since its construction was first announced in 2009, this vital infrastructure has been paralysed because of the bankruptcy of the original contractor, a lack of political interest by the Orihuela municipal government, combined with difficulties with successive governments in Valencia.
In 2019, the Mayor of Orihuela had to demand that the Generalitat release their promised funds so that the new tender could be carried out. At the end of 2019, the new tender was finally approved and in April 2020 the works were awarded to the Orihuela based company DOALCO, SA, at a cost of 2,064,690.11 euros
During the trip around this very impressive centre, which should make life much easier for emergency services and the residents of Orihuela Costa, the mayor was accompanied by the councillors for emergencies and health, Víctor Valverde and José Galiano.
A comprehensive selection of photographs can be seen below:
