For the past few weeks the Neighborhood Association ‘La Ronda’ has been meeting with the different parties that are presenting themselves in the Toledo municipal elections, first to explain to them the demands of the neighborhood, and now to listen to them In their election programs for.
Buenavista’s main claim in terms of amenities remains a prestigious senior center for the neighborhood, which has been approved in principle for construction in the Plaza de España. At the moment, the project has been drafted, with an approved budget of €720,000 for its realization and the promise of the current mayor to start work in the first half of this year. «The elderly in our neighborhood claim to be capable of active aging, for this they seek space for participation and socialization. The crisis break, which, according to some studies, occurs with more than 40 percent of people over the age of 65, is characterized by ‘undeserved loneliness’, a state of isolation that not only has an impact on lifestyle, but also causes problems with depression. arise , sadness and anxiety”, says the neighborhood’s president, José Luis Gómez, who applauds the imminent launch of this space “demanded by more than 3,131 of our elders”.
New Library. La Ronda also claims to have converted the Buenavista Civic Center into the district library.
Believing that the main thing for the youth of the neighborhood should be culture, the Neighborhood Association understands that they “may not have problems accessing a book, a computer or a place where they can expand their knowledge and training.” Therefore, he is requesting a district library better suited to the needs of our young people (the main applicants for this endowment), as the current one, located in a single room in the Civic Center, does not meet the minimum requirements for its area. Is effect. The municipal library of Buenavista serves the residents of the central district with 18,275 residents as well as the northern district with 20,162 residents, resulting in a considerable number of residents. But, even if only neighboring neighborhoods such as San Antón (7,240), Palomarejos (5,765), Santa Teresa (5,762) and Buenavista (13,320) participated, there would be 32,087 residents who barely walk 150 meters to the library and who Is only open a few hours per week. Afternoon.
We must also take into account the large number of schools and institutions present in the region and the number of students enrolled by them, which is more than 6,000. The fact that this Buenavista library is so old and so small means that many youths in these neighborhoods and educational centers have to go to a regional library for space and hours.
« We fully understand that library optimization takes time and cannot be done overnight, but we believe that the first steps must be taken to reverse this situation. And the first step in optimizing the library’s services for users will be expanding the staff of qualified personnel, says Gómez, who will open it in the mornings and afternoons, as in the Municipal Library of Santa María de Bencarencia.
For La Ronda, the ideal location is the current civic center due to its location in the center of the sphere of influence; Because it can be easily adapted; And quickly, since the library is already there; And because the building is already a reality and only its transformation will be required.
Assembly Hall. In relation to the required endowment in Buenavista, La Ronda boasts a multi-purpose venue for political groups with at least 300 capacity seats and 800 square meters. “We believe that the promotion of culture and federalism in the neighborhood should be one of our fundamental objectives, for this we request the adaptation of multi-purpose spaces, which are social spaces that combine means offering different services and uses. are equipped with,” he explains. Gomez. Mobile walls make it possible to compartmentalize spaces, creating separate environments for a single function or several in a single installation, adapting the space to needs.
The association argues that a neighborhood of fifty years of history and more than 13,000 residents would require premises that would allow our young and old to participate in concerts, plays, rehearsals, meetings, exhibitions, associative activities, talks, etc. Today there is only one local municipality with a capacity of 80 people.
This lack of infrastructure means that various activities cannot be carried out, and those that are are carried out with limited capacity, which on many occasions leads to frustration and disinterest among children and adults, as in storytelling, children Has happened in parties and cultural activities. Out in the Civic Center’s Assembly Hall”, explains La Ronda.
