River route project presented
A PROJECT to create a 40 kilometre path along the River Vinalopó between the city and countryside of Elche has been presented by the council.
Work is scheduled to start before the end of this year and would take four months to complete at a cost of €292,750, explained environment councillor Esther Díez.
The contract also includes two years of maintenance to ensure the path remains in the best possible condition.
It would connect farmland, El Hondo natural park, El Pinet salt lakes and cultural elements such as La Alcudía archaeological site, the Puçol school museum and the municipality’s hydrological heritage.
It would start from the
Barrachina bridge in the city, where the presentation took place on Tuesday, and will be divided into four sections with two routes, one towards La Alcudia and the other to El Hondo and the Sierra del Molar.
“The work will consist of restoring existing paths so that the public can enjoy the whole route,” said the councillor.
This will include clearing scrub and signposting with five information points, including the east entrance to El Hondo, ‘one of our great natural treasures’.
Safety measures will be installed including bridges, steps, walkways and grids to cover ditches.
A wooden observation tower will be built, and tables with benches placed throughout the route, along with fencing by the Argamasa weir and the Sierra del Molar viewing point, and five bicycle racks at different points.
Sra Díez said she hopes this project will be as popular
as the north pathway to the reservoir has proved.
In parallel, she reminded, the regional government is working on environmental restoration of the river, the first phase of which is about to begin.
“We are aiming to make
use of the ecological corridor of this already natural stretch of the River Vinalopó, and showcase these aesthetic, environmental, cultural and social attributes of our municipality,” she added.