FROM Estepona to Torremolinos, town halls and mayors have been busy pushing through new projects, safety crackdowns and cultural highlights.
Here’s your inaugural round-up of what’s happening along the Costa del Sol.
Estepona — Parks, buses and tapas
Estepona has pressed ahead with its drive to upgrade public spaces. Mayor José María García Urbano says the town’s playground renewal scheme is now 60% complete, with 10 of the 18 parks in the first phase already finished. The rest are due in the coming weeks, and a second phase is on the way to cover even more neighbourhoods.
The council has also awarded a six-month contract to stabilise La Hermandad Park, where landslides have plagued the area since last winter’s storms. Crews will reinforce the ground and refurbish the site to put a stop to the problems once and for all.
On the transport front, Estepona has renewed its bus concession with Avanza for one year at just under €700,000. Expect larger vehicles, continued service on the three current lines and tougher quality controls through inspections and passenger surveys.
And for a lighter note, the culture department has launched the next edition of “Estepona vive sus calles”, promising a Carlos Baute concert and the town’s 14th Tapas Route to get residents and visitors out on the streets.
Marbella — Congress palace facelift and police clampdown
In Marbella, the spotlight is on the Adolfo Suárez Congress and Exhibition Palace, now undergoing a €2.3 million makeover financed by EU recovery funds. The works will waterproof the roof, add solar panels, overhaul the air-con and lighting, and even install a rainwater harvesting system for the gardens. Another €500,000 is being ploughed into automating the building. Despite the construction, the venue will stay open for cultural, social and business events.
Meanwhile, Marbella’s Policia Local reported a large deployment across the town to keep traffic moving and guarantee safety. Ahead of a bullring event, officers towed a number of vehicles from Plaza de Toros after drivers ignored parking restrictions.
Fuengirola — Feria fever
Fuengirola is in the middle of its Feria del Rosario, the biggest week of the year for the town. Mayor Ana Mula has highlighted the traditional floral offering, the naming of the herald, and the packed calendar of concerts, processions and cultural events. She called it the town’s “big week,” stressing the feria’s role as a showcase of local tradition and community pride.
Benalmádena — New parking and irrigation
In Benalmádena, the town hall has confirmed plans to transform the undercroft of the Los Nadales fairground into a public car park with 97 spaces. It is also moving forward with an expansion of the regenerated water network in Benalmádena Costa to boost irrigation, helping to save water while keeping green areas healthy.
Torremolinos — Works and health boost
Torremolinos mayor Margarita del Cid this week spoke about the difficulties facing residents of El Calvario, promising action to improve local services and infrastructure in the neighbourhood.
At the same time, plans have been approved for new emergency primary care units to be built into the Hospital Marítimo complex, boosting local health capacity. The mayor has also been promoting the town on the national stage, unveiling a campaign in Madrid’s Plaza Callao ahead of the Fitur tourism fair.
Málaga — Goodbye to horse-drawn carriages
In Málaga city, councillors have voted to end tourist horse-carriage rides, originally scheduled to continue until 2035. The 25 remaining licences will be scrapped immediately, with owners receiving compensation totalling €4.1 million. The decision marks the end of a long-standing but controversial tradition.
Opposition parties have also sounded the alarm over what they call a shortage of police and firefighters, claiming the city no longer meets minimum staffing ratios. They are pressing for an urgent multi-year hiring plan to bolster public safety services.
That’s your snapshot of the Costa del Sol this week: from Estepona’s tapas trail to Marbella’s EU-funded facelift, Fuengirola’s feria fever and Málaga’s carriage ban, the region is buzzing with change.
Click here to read more Costa Del Sol News from The Olive Press.
