€6 million Easter museum to become a council centre
Brotherhoods agree to use original site for their exhibits
TORREVIEJA mayor Eduardo Dolón has announced that the town’s empty Easter museum – which was completed nearly five years ago – will be turned into a ‘multi-use’ municipal centre.
Torrevieja’s Easter brotherhoods have renounced their right to use the building on Avenida de las Habaneras that has nine floors, three of which are below ground.
The announcement brings to an end a decade-long saga which began in 2010 when former Partido Popular (PP) mayor Pedro Hernández laid the first stone of the museum and stated that it would be a showcase for Torrevieja’s Easter processions.
It was the former coalition council which first stated that the vast building would have to incorporate more than one function – and should also be used for council services after it was built with public money. This plan was criticised by the PP when they were in opposition.
However, mayor Dolón stated last week that they have been working with the Easter brotherhoods for several months to come to an agreement over the building, which was in danger of becoming another one of the town’s white elephants.
Sr Dolón said they have committed to doubling the size the original Easter museum which stands in Calle Formentera.
In this way the brotherhoods will have an area which is ‘more than sufficient’ to store their floats as well as to put exhibits linked to the Easter processions on show.
Sr Dolón said they have been able to include funding for this project in the council’s budget for 2020 and they hope to be able to start the work ‘as soon as possible’.
This will allow the much larger building on Avenida de las Habaneras to be used for a number of different functions.
The mayor explained that the building has undergone a deep clean and they are processing the paperwork to lay on electricity and water to the building.
He noted that it will be able house a number of council services, as well as being the headquarters for Alicante and Miguel Hernández universities in Torrevieja and a conference centre.