What needs improving in Corralejo?

[AviationFanatic]

Just a quick question to see what you think needs improving in Corralejo?

[bridlife]

I would improve the pavements around the top end of town , by Spar , Hiper Dino, and Rocasa.

[dagwood]

Most of it.

[SheilaW]

Of course, some money would help enormously. If they had some more then they could repair the roads and pavements, demolish some of the eyesores and tidy up the bits that don't need demolishing. But nobody has that sort of money at the moment. Anyway, I can't stand squeaky-clean, aseptic places - I like a bit of character, and Corralejo's already full of that.

I can tell them one way to save money: stop watering the grass next to the Campenario shopping centre, alongside the botanical gardens and on various roundabouts. We don't need to do grass here. If I'd wanted grass I'd have stayed in the UK.

[Ronnietheblue]

The first impression a first time tourist to Corralejo sees, is the unfinished eyesores and a sign that says 'visit Lanzarote' This area badly needs completing. Guess like a lot of places, money has run out.

[dagwood]

Sheila whom  do you speak for or represent when you say "We don't need to do grass here"? You do not speak or represent me and or most of the people who live on or visit Fuerteventura. Please keep your comments to the 1st person.     

[Ivemovedon]

She certainly speaks for me. Far more important things to spend public money on than the upkeep of lawns. Carry on Shiela you are talking sense.

[dagwood]

She certainly speaks for me. Far more important things to spend public money on than the upkeep of lawns. Carry on Shiela you are talking sense.

Fair Play stedge, I did say most. Maybe some people could relocate to the Moon if they don't feel comfortable with grass. At home I try to keep the bloody thing cut. 

[SheilaW]

The first impression a first time tourist to Corralejo sees, is the unfinished eyesores and a sign that says 'visit Lanzarote' This area badly needs completing. Guess like a lot of places, money has run out.

I'd heard that plot had been sold and was going to be demolished and rebuilt at a five-star hotel. I'd heard that various 'arrangements' had been worked out to help entice the owner to fork out the 1.5 million euros to buy it. Now I see that the property is 'unexpectedly back on the market' (quote from some property sales site) at half the price. I thought it was too good to be true...and it was! That eyesore nearly changed the entire course of our lives: hubby took one look at it and said "What a dump!". Luckily, our accommodation, only a few hundred metres away, was superb and he slowly came round to loving the island. Well, I say slowly but we signed for our house, to be our permanent residence, only six days later, so it wasn't that slow!

@ Dagwood: This is actually quite a common topic of conversation between residents here. I was talking for residents, British, Spanish and other nationalities, whose council taxes pay for the upkeep of these areas of green. I would just love to be able to afford to give the plants in my garden as much water as those areas of grass get, but even if I was a millionaire I wouldn't try to grow the water-guzzling plants I grew back in London. Grass cannot survive here without vast amounts of watering, whereas there are all sorts of other plants that can - they should be the ones chosen for public spaces. Would you be happy to pay for your local public spaces to be covered in heated glasshouses just so that people could enjoy seeing the bananas, coconuts and papayas grow?

I'm not really bothered if it saddens a few tourists to see the grass disappear from this sub-tropical island. They're only here a week or two before they can have as much of a grass-fix as they want. Why on earth would they come here to see the grass???

[Ole Man River]

Surely the water is the recycled stuff. It's free! So no money saved there then. Been here for years & yes it is nice to see a bit of the green stuff. The money spent on the Botanical garden looks like it was wasted. Don't think it gets enough water & never seen anyone in there. 

[dagwood]

" Would you be happy to pay for your local public spaces to be covered in heated glasshouses just so that people could enjoy seeing the bananas, coconuts and papayas grow?"
Sadly if we continue the way we are going that's the only way our decedents  will see them. And I am not a tree hugger I just don't believe in interfering with nature to any great extent. Don't forget if the bees or even rats die we all die. Every thing is entitled to survive but something's need to be controlled. It is brown water that's used on the grass and plants, what else would do with it, make ice cubes.  Or pump it back into the sea and poison the marine life. Now if you would not make ice cubes with it why feed it to the marine life? 

[Ivemovedon]

Its a volcanic island i don't think anyone even tourists expect to see manicured lawns. The cost i would think is more the labour involved with the maintenance and original laying. Still when you think of the vast sums wasted on the dunes bypass road its puts  the costs involved in perspective. As someone mentioned the dire condition of some of the walkways need to be addressed if theres any spare euros going.

[SheilaW]

Surely the water is the recycled stuff. It's free! So no money saved there then.

Nothing in life is free, they say, and it certainly applies to our grey water. In fact, on my estate we all pay for it; the only problem is that the council has run out of money to the extent that they can't afford to provide it. The water goes from our drains to a treatment works up in the hills behind Corralejo; it gets treated; then it's supposed to be piped back. That doesn't come for free, although the water does of course have to be treated to some extent. What do they do with treated water in the UK? I never thought of it when I lived there but it must go somewhere.

It is a shame to see the botanical gardens dying for want of water, and it's a shame to see Hoplaco Gardens in such a state (though maybe they're privately owned - I don't know). If the council really want to do something with their grey water, and they can't provide it to the local residents as planned, then I'm sure they could sell it to someone anxious to set up some sort of small agricultural business in the area. Anything's better than spraying it up into the air in temperatures of 40°C where most will either evaporate or run off down the slope.

Anyway, I can't get that worked up about it, but I'm like you, Dagwood, I just don't believe in interfering with nature to any great extent. Grass can't grow here without a lot of help and constant attention, so I'd prefer to grow plants that occur naturally here.

[dagwood]

The fact that Fuerteventura is a volcanic island means that it, and the waters surrounding it, have a very delicate eco system. Therefore you and me and everyone else that live or visit, with our flush toilets ,washing machines, bleaches and detergents can do an awful lot of damage to this beautiful place. A place that we only have the use of for a few years. When that water is sprayed on grass, plants and anywhere it can irrigate plant life,  then it is absorbed down through the soil and this helps filter it in a naturel way. (Before you say it, plants or grass wont grow without soil). One small example. Don't forget those little lizards(cant remember their names)who live mostly in the grass and around plant life, they help to keep the cockroach population under control with no chemical warfare . No grass, no lizards = plenty of cockroaches. Please think before you put a small uneconomical wash in your machine or pour a load of bleach down the toilet. Every little helps. My point is can we afford for them not to spray it.   

[nacnud]

The money spent on the Botanical garden looks like it was wasted. Don't think it gets enough water & never seen anyone in there. 

Ahh this is not true alright it never crowded but a regular trickle pass through every day and many Locals use the playground for their kids throughout the day many local kids use the skate board park and schools use ithe park. It is the fact that they banned dogs that has made this area, no poop. Bye the bye some locals also use it for kids birthday partys so sorry to disagree but not a waste at all.If you care to spend some relax time there I am sure youd be surprised, and it possible could do with a little more water. But remember dog poop free not many areas you can say that about.

[AviationFanatic]

is the botanical garden behind the police station at the campaniro centre?

in my eyes something that definatly needs changing is the unfinished building as you come into corrlejo thats been there for years and even along the coast going up into corralejo there just coverd in graffiti and its obvious nothing its going to become of them

[zedzedeleven]

I visited the botanic gardens soon after they opened. It was already under threat from the local dog owners who only saw it as a place to empty their dogs and the plants were already dying anyway. Like other attractions (i.e. the Bristol Promenade) ruined by low life cretins. Glad to hear the gardens are now dog free, I look forward to visiting them soon. My suggestion- get meaningful laws in place to enforce clean up after your dog practice, dogs banned off all beaches and on leads at all times. Also agree about the derelict buildings, compulsory purchase and demolished, then just landscaped naturally.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Some good news: Las Aguajas is being worked on at long last. (That's the one consisting of 3 or 4 blocks sideways on, on the right as you come into Corralejo from the dunes, that has stood empty for years.)
Botanical Gardens - apart from poor design, poor construction, poor materials and poor maintenance, the biggest problem at the beginning was too much water! The irrigation system washed away the soil from a lot of the plant roots and created big gullies. I replanted a number of the plants in the early days, in slightly different positions and these have survived and thrived, but I couldn't scramble on the slopes to reach the majority and it was just too big a task. The gardens were a good idea, poorly delivered.
PS when did they make it dog free? I still take my dog and haven't seen any signs! I go in on the side opposite the little building.

[Ronnietheblue]

Thanks for that info Tamara, that really is good news, just hope it gets completed this time.

[Fred]

Men were working last week on the derelict building at the entrance to Corralejo. They were there on several days. Walls have been built so we may see some improvement. Fingers crossed.

[admin]

Like other attractions (i.e. the Bristol Promenade) ruined by low life cretins.

The police have been issuing on the spot fines to dog owners just for using the promenade never mind the 'empties'.
Maybe things will get better.

[zedzedeleven]

Sincerely hope so, it`s a beautiful walk in the evening after a good dinner. Nice during the day as well if the surf is firing, just sit on the wall and watch the action.

[isleswing]

Just a quick question to see what you think needs improving in Corralejo?

I hope you've got deep pockets if you're offering to improve the town.

I think that pretty much every place mentioned so far will be the responsibility of different authorities or companies, so it'll be hard to co-ordinate any programme. That's why stuff takes so long to get done.

For instance, who owns the 'skeleton' to the way to the dunes? The original developer? The receiver, if they went bust? Another developer? A bank? Any of them will be waiting for business conditions to be right before proceeding. Who knows when that might be???

[zedzedeleven]

Will any of those half finished builds be worth continuing ? They have been an eyesore for years, slowly deteriorating and crumbling away. The Canarian building materials used on them were not the best, designs have changed and no doubt building regulations will have moved on. Get `em down!

[Super Simon Garner]

Been coming as a tourist for 20 years and couldnt give a flying about seeing grass while in Corrie . The Palm trees on Avenidas Grandes Playas need cutting back , you cant walk on the pavements . Also a lot of the iron/steel drain covers are badly corroded and very dangerous, they need replacing . People need to take more responsibility in cleaning up after their dogs . Otherwise not much . The unfinished buildings are now just a part of Corries landscape .

[Blueboy7]

Nothing, love the character, love the people, love the personalities, love the sea front, love the beaches, try living in England through the winter. Just get on with it and stop always trying to find something wrong.

[Books Cards & Things Corralejo]

Yes Blueboy you are absolutely right. Corralejo is a wonderful place to live,of course there are problems but these pale into insignificance compared to many other places. Of course the ayuntamiento gets things wrong but as an example the new paving down the main street is a job well done (eventually).
This is a holiday resort with businesses opening and closing all the time - that is the transient nature of the place - a couple of the bars and restaurants that have closed recently have just been down to people moving on or returning to their original country. As a dog owner - who always picks up no matter where i go - i wish people would take more responsibility themselves. I had a very surprised guy recently who hadn't picked up - I did it for him and handed it to him when I caught him up.

[Ivemovedon]

Well you got one thing right, its a holiday resort.

And for that very reason they have to maintain decent standards, especially if they are now looking to attract 5 star tourism. Anyone who can afford Marbella won't come to corralejo if the pavements are loaded with dog mess, the planted areas are withered and dying, old shells of half finished buildings make it look like Beirut on a bad day and a lot of walking areas dangerous. I like the place myself for the fact it is under sanitised. But then i'm not going there looking for 5 star accommodation and expecting 5 star facilities with all the trimmings..If they want a top notch island with top notch clientelle they will have to pay for it. Either that or go back to the tried and trusted method of attracting working and middle class families and naturists.

[willers]

point 1) clear up all the dog number two off the pavements and along the beach walk.

point 2) oh and sort out the massive palm trees destroying the pavements.

so working on spanish time, by my reckoning that should take ...... 143.2 years

[dagwood]

point 1) clear up all the dog number two off the pavements and along the beach walk.

point 2) oh and sort out the massive palm trees destroying the pavements.

so working on spanish time, by my reckoning that should take ...... 143.2 years

Did you allow for the paperwork ? The dogs just pass the stuff the officials thrive on it.