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Low-cost public housing in Sant Ferran to be ready by year-end 2016

Visita hpo Sant FerranEarlier today, the president and cabinet councillor of the Formentera Council, Jaume Ferrer and Bartomeu Escandell, met with four representatives of the Palma administration on an official visit to the island. Ferrer and Escandell joined Francina Armengol, Govern president; Joan Boned, regional secretary of land; Maria Antònia Garcías, director of the regional institute of public housing (IBAVI) and Carles Gabriel, an architect at IBAVI, on a visit to the building site in Sant Ferran where low-cost housing is currently under construction.

The Govern president lauded all the work which has gone into the project, as well as the contribution of the Formentera Council, which ceded part of the terrain where construction is taking place. Armengol called the housing units «particularly special given their environmental sustainability».

A mix of modernity and tradition

For the Formentera Council president, the project’s strength lies in the balance of modernity and tradition that it strikes. «Both the exterior walls of the building and those of the individual units are insulated using posidònia sea grass», pointed out Ferrer, «a feature that brings about savings of both money and energy». The CiF president expressed his hope that henceforth all public buildings include such green thinking.

The president is anxious to see the island become «a pioneer in green housing», commenting: «Such projects reflect the same image Formentera tries to embody». He expressed his «eagerness for families to move into the 14 apartments», something the administration anticipates for early 2017.

Regional land secretary Boned indicated construction will be complete by year-end 2016 but said the wait list has not yet been opened. He concluded by reminding the audience of the goal of the project: «Decent homes for those whom current market prices leave out».

Formentera responds to Madrid's call for cutting-edge initiatives

MIRADOR PREMSAThe Formentera Council has unveiled its contribution to an initiative called 'Islas Inteligentes' (smart islands) launched by the state-run Red.es website, an outgrowth of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. Formentera's proposal, entitled «Formentera, the smallest but the smartest», is founded on the principle of using next generation technology to preserve our surroundings and improve public services.

The head of the new technologies department, Rafael González, said the 'Islas Inteligentes' call for applications had been an opportunity to breathe life into projects «that we'd worked on but never made public due to budgetary restrictions».

According to Councillor González, «if the Ministry wanted to use the proposed projects it would be a giant step forward. It would be an opportunity to implement initiatives that were imagined for some point in the future». He continued, «we're realistic though. We tailored the bid competitively, but know we're up against some steep competition».

Among the many measures proposed in the bid, there is the idea of installing scales in rubbish bins that would warn collection vans in those cases a bin is only partially full, hence saving vans a pointless journey. Another proposes advising travellers of the time before a bus arrives. A third suggests dimming pavement street lamps when no pedestrians are detected. Still another proposes allowing residents to carry out municipal formalities on the Internet.

The Council estimates the initiatives would require a budget, tax included, of 1,932,642 euros. 'Islas Inteligentes' set the maximum budget at 10 million euros per project. Councillor González explained Formentera's decision to keep the figure low «came from our desire to make something both financially-solvent and realistic». He continued: «More than a letter to Father Christmas, we wanted to draft proposals of projects we knew we could implement and maintain. Projects in keeping with what we try to promote here on the island: respect for the natural surroundings and tranquility».

Formentera combines fitness and family on Day of the Child

In a nod to this Friday’s Day of the Child, the Council’s office of sports has put together a very special evening for youth aged 14 to 18 at the Antoni Blanc fitness centre. Department head Jordi Vidal described his office’s coordination of sports activities from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight, «including dances, skill-based games and sports, and use of the pool and gym».

Saturday, open-house at sports centre

The following day, 21 November, a day of sports will be geared toward families. «With the open-house on Saturday, Formentera families will have a whole day to get physical and focus on the family at the same time», explained Councillor Vidal, who described a wide array of activities as being organised. From 9:15 to 12 noon, children will have the opportunity to try out judo, basketball, indoor football and tennis, just to name a few, and from 12 to 1, staff will open up the swimming pool for water play. Finally, the kids can have a bit of a rest and snack from 1:15 to 2, before winners are announced in the school drawing contest for the Day of the Child.

All the while, parents can take part in an organised walk to Can Marroig put together by the Espalmador sports group; try their hand (or foot) at indoor cycling, pilates, self-defence or zumba classes; practice paddleball or tennis on the nearby courts; or head to the pool for open swim. The councillor invited all of Formentera to «come out to get a first-hand look at all the sports and fitness activities posible here on the island».

Formentera’s craft workers vote for group rep tomorrow

Mercat Mola PremsaThe Formentera Council’s department of trade has set tomorrow 18 November as the date for local card-holding artisans select a new representative. Three have come forward as candidates: Hernan Fernández, Cristina Chapuis and Àngel Berenguer. The poll will be open from ten in the morning till one midday in the Council’s office of the department of culture. The winning individual will serve a four-year term on the island craft workers advisory committee, an arm of the local administration. All of Formentera’s 54 card-holding artisans and 9 accredited master artisans may exercise their right to vote.

Formentera renews condemnation of attacks in Paris

nou minut silenciThe president of the CiF (Formentera Island Council), Jaume Ferrer, together with department heads from the ruling party and those from the opposition, other Council employees and island residents, gathered today to observe a minute of silence to honour the victims of Friday’s attacks on Paris. The event was convened for today, Monday 16 November at 12 noon on Constitució square in Sant Francesc, as an expression of mourning following the attacks.

In his role as representative of the local administration, President Ferrer once again expressed harsh criticism of the attacks and said: «For the victims and their families, my deepest condolences». He also wished all those injured a speedy recovery.

The CiF president called for a similar minute of silence at the same plaza on Saturday as a way to demonstrate «Formentera’s rejection of the heartless attacks on the French capital». Today’s event followed a call from the central government in Madrid to all offices of the public administration.

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