Malaga province reservoir at just 21.7% of its capacity set to receive one-million-euro facelift

The enhancement project includes new tables, benches and lampposts, the extension of green areas, reorganisation of the car parks and improvements to the children's playground and dog park

Eugenio Cabezas

Axarquía

Monday, 27 January 2025, 15:15

After the abundant autumn rains, the La Viñuela reservoir on the eastern side of Malaga province presents a very different image to that of a year ago, with three times more reserves, although it is still at just 21.7 per cent of its capacity. However, to enhance the environment and with the confidence that the reservoir situation will continue to improve in the coming months, the provincial authority, the Diputación de Málaga has said it is to invest one million euros in the adaptation and improvement of the recreational area around the reservoir.

The plan forms part of the environmental and leisure project designed by the Diputación in the area surrounding the reservoir, which will be launched with the repopulation and planting of almost 35,000 trees and shrubs, as announced almost three years ago, in February 2022. President of the Diputación and mayor of Rincón de la Victoria, Francisco Salado, explained in a statement that, since its construction, the perimeter of the reservoir has served as a recreational area used by people at all times of the year.

There are two areas for visitors to use: the recreational area of La Viñuela, which belongs to the village of the same name, and Las Mayoralas, in Periana. "These are very busy spaces, with facilities that are very deteriorated by use. So our aim is to renovate and improve these recreational areas, which are located in a natural setting of great scenic and environmental wealth," Salado said.

Salado has indicated that the Diputación, through tourism and planning Costa del Sol, has already drafted the project to improve the area, estimated at 1.06 million euros, and is also in the drafting phase of the action to be carried out in Las Mayoralas. He also recalled that one of the basic axes of the Diputación is "the enhancement" of inland areas of the province "through the care of the natural heritage and the promotion of tourism and leisure activities in nature".

‘This strategy is reflected in projects such as the Caminito del Rey, the Gran Senda de Málaga, support for the Sierra de las Nieves national park, the footbridges and the El Saltillo bridge, the Guadalhorce 'Green Corridor' and the ‘bike territory’ initiative to promote the municipalities of the Sierra Norte. And it is translating into the revitalisation and development of our villages," he added.

The environmental and leisure project designed for La Viñuela reservoir, which has already seen the reforestation of its surroundings with the planting of 41,000 trees and shrubs, is part of this project. "Now we are continuing with the improvements to the recreational areas and, for this reason, we have already approved the granting of a direct subsidy to La Viñuela town hall for 1.06 million euros to initiate the contracting procedure for the works," Salado explained.

The area south of the reservoir is home to barbecues, tables, toilets, children's play area, dog park area, lighting and rubbish bins, all of which are in a state of deterioration due to use and the passing of time.

For this reason, the project, with a completion period of four months, involves the removal of barbecues and other disused or very deteriorated items, replacing picnic tables and benches, the creation of new landscaped areas and the planting of Mediterranean shrubs, fencing and signposting the entrance to the reservoir by, the extension and reorganisation of car parks in the visitors' reception area and the fitting out and installation of new furniture in the children's playground and the dog park.

Furthermore the deteriorated area of the main access road will be resurfaced and the enclosure of the football pitch will be remodelled. In the picnic area the existing tables and benches will be replaced with new prefabricated wooden ones, the existing barbecues will be removed, the lampposts will be replaced, some trees will be pruned and the surface will be regenerated by clearing and planting natural grassland.

The existing toilets will be refurbished, the location of the rubbish containers will be reorganised and a slope will be landscaped with native shrub species. The children's playground will be completely remodelled with the installation of various games for children and the dog park will also be refurbished and will have an agility circuit for dogs, as confirmed by the Diputación in the statement.

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