Takoronte is drowning in weeds and garbage: residents are sounding the alarm
Residents of Tacoronte complain about the neglected condition of playgrounds, roads, and public spaces, demanding improved cleaning and garbage removal services.
Recently, residents of Tacoronte have been actively discussing problems with playgrounds, streets, and La Arena beach on social media. They don't like that everything looks neglected. There are particularly many complaints about weeds and the neglected appearance of the playground in Oya de Machado. Photos from this week show that everything there is overgrown.
Weeds have taken over the slides, swings, and other play equipment. People are joking about whether it's a playground for children who want to feel like Tarzan, for military training, or just for playing hide-and-seek in the "jungle." After complaints on social media, utility workers cleaned up the playground, but local authorities say it is still closed to visitors.
In addition to the playground, people are complaining about the condition of roads, such as Malcontento. There are also many weeds there, making it difficult to see the markings. This is dangerous for drivers and inconvenient for pedestrians. In some places, it is impossible to pass at all.
In the comments to the photos, people write that they are dissatisfied with the cleaning and maintenance of roads and public places. There is also a lot of criticism regarding garbage removal. People say that garbage accumulates in various areas, near containers and bins.
Residents of Tacoronte do not understand why the garbage removal fee has increased if the services have become worse. They also complain that the sidewalks in La Atalaya and La Caridad are often impassable. Pedestrian crossings are occupied by parked cars, and Barranco de San Juan and other areas are also neglected.
People believe that the situation in Tacoronte has deteriorated significantly. The opposition (NC) has repeatedly drawn attention to this. At the last meeting, local authorities (PSOE, CC, and PP) stated that they do not have a valid contract for the maintenance of playgrounds, so they are forced to use the available resources.
To solve the problem, the authorities plan to include playgrounds in a new contract for the maintenance of green infrastructure. They plan to spend about 200,000 euros per year on this. In the meantime, the authorities will carry out ongoing repairs to eliminate risks to users. About 27,000 euros were spent on this last year.
The authorities acknowledge that there are many playgrounds in the city, but they are small and unevenly distributed. Therefore, they created a map of the playgrounds and identified which ones need repair first.
The authorities also acknowledge that most of the playgrounds are not adapted for children with disabilities. Therefore, the new playgrounds will be inclusive so that all children can play together.
Regarding garbage, the Tacoronte authorities say that the Nordeste organization is responsible for street cleaning and waste removal. Containers are currently being replaced and special garbage collection sites are being created. This may cause temporary inconvenience, but everything should be back to normal by the end of the year.
The authorities acknowledge that there are not enough street cleaners in the city. Therefore, they have asked the Nordeste organization to increase the number of employees. The authorities hope that the situation will improve by the end of the year.