BENIDORM – The Benidorm bullring has not hosted any events for more than two years. Structural problems led to its closure with the exception of the areas used by the conservatory. A new use is in the offing.
Built in 1962, the Benidorm bullring is symbolic of the city’s development era. However, over two years ago, technical reports recommended its closure due to structural issues. Since then, the city council has invested €52,000 in repairs to ensure its safety.
New destination for young and old
A new proposal by the city council will see a complete revamp as the bullring becomes a new cultural hub. The central library, a youth centre, multicultural centre, stages and a grandstand will all find a new home there.
Budget
Costing around €8.7 million, the project is due for completion in 2023. €2.5 million is included in the local government’s 2021 budget, with a further €3.5 million in 2022 and €2.5 million in 2023. The City Council also issued the call for tender – at a cost of €500,000 – for the supervision of the project. Whoever wins the public tender will have four months to present their plans.
Challenge
How the space will be divided, which activities will take place in the main building and which will move to the annex, depends on the design that is finally chosen,” explains Mayor Perez of Benidorm. A library needs several rooms, including study rooms and a meeting room. A youth information centre needs a large ‘room’ for exhibitions, associations need a reception room, there are multi-purpose rooms, rehearsal and training rooms, there will be a kitchen, and the multi-purpose centre also needs several rooms for different functions.”
Connecting neighbourhoods
The building’s new design will resolve the height difference between the neighbourhoods. It also includes the improvement and extension of the pedestrian area around the arena. This, the mayor believes, will provide a solution for the “accessibility of and interconnection between the residential areas Foietes-Colonia Madrid and Els Tolls.” He went on to say that “this great project has arisen from the importance that Benidorm attaches to culture, associations, participation, creativity, leisure, youth development, multiculturalism, relations between young and old, training and integration.”
European Funding
The project is part of the Sustainable and Integrated Urban Development Strategy (EDUSI), for which Benidorm has received €10 million in European funds. Other projects include the construction of a youth hostel, a camping site and an information centre at Séquia Mare, the water channel between Polop and Benidorm.
