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ARCHIVED - Miami makeover at Alicante beach on hold due to cashflow problems
Lifeguard huts at Alicante's San Juan beach were due to be transformed into colourful tourist attractions and unveiled this summer
Ambitious plans to give lifeguard huts at Alicante's San Juan beach a Miami-style makeover have been put on hold until next summer due to a lack of budget.
Alicante Tourist Board commissioned local artist Antonyo Marest to transform two dreary lifeguard stations into "tourist icons" and had hoped the two bright and colourful huts reminiscent of Miami beach would grace the sands this summer with plans to add a vibrant touch to the rest of the city's beaches over the next few years.
But cashflow problems have meant the huts are not ready for this season, and won't be unveiled until next summer.
Apparently, the contract between Alicante City Council and the artist has still not been signed, although the project was announced five months ago.
According to Alicante Tourist Board, the delay is down to the fact that there is simply not enough money available in the budget due to a hold up in the approval of the necessary budget amendment linked to the 2021 surplus funds which was approved at the beginning of June.
"As soon as the budget change comes into force, the contract will be sent for audit," said the head of the Tourist Board, Mari Carmen Sánchez.
The first two stands were expected to be up and running this summer, after investing a budget of around 100,000 euros, which included the maintenance of the infrastructure, as well as the construction and design.
But the total outlay is now expected to be higher because of spiralling material costs.
"It will take a minimum of six weeks to build the two huts and August is a non-working month when everything is closed. We have been waiting for months to sign the contract with the council and had hoped that the project would be up and running by this summer, but that won't be possible," explained the artist, Antonyo Marest.
"Everything is ready to start building them, we just need to sign the contract, which will allow us to buy the necessary material," added Marest, who has already received proposals from several town councils to replicate the project in other coastal municipalities.
The original plan was to locate the first two stands at the Calle El Palmeral and Avenida de Bruselas entrance as a "pilot test" before branching out further.
The artist has already prepared 16 designs which can be adapted to their location, "depending on the view from the sea and the buildings that can be seen from behind".
Thrilled to be involved in the project, Marest said back in April: "It's great to be able to do something big here (in Alicante) which will be recognised worldwide. Alicante's beaches are among the best in the world, so why shouldn't they have an iconic element like the beaches in Miami?".
Image: Ayuntamiento de Alicante
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