A new leisure park, running alongside the Guadalfeo river in the Lobres area has been approved by Salobreña Council. The park will have leisure and sports areas, pedestrian walkways and a bicycle track at a total cost of 383,804 euros, funded by the Agency of Andalusian Water and the Council of Salobreña.

The idea is to eliminate the impact produced by the constant dumping of rubbish currently making it a zone reminiscent of a large landfill waste site and once it has been cleaned, to treat the existing vegetation, introduce new trees and native shrubs.

The local environmental group issued a statement, hot on the heels of this news, suggesting that the residents of the municipality didn’t deserve such a Council who did so little for environmental conservation in the area and who went on to remind us that in 2005 the Council announced a similar but much larger initiative with funding to the tune of 7,627,584 euros, co-financed by the European Union. What happened or rather; didn’t happen? The Ecologists say they will support this new project and will monitor its progress closely.

Salobreña gets another award, this time a Green Flag for a Responsible Municipality. This award comes from the Federation of Independent Users and Consumers (FUCI) and the Biodiversity Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment.

Salobreña has been deserving in the areas of environmental commitment and environmental education and citizen participation (yes, take a deep breath folks … interesting that the ecologists have not made any statement regarding this award, as it would be very interesting to hear their viewpoint).

With the delivery of these green flags the FUCI, for ten years, to promote between all the municipalities of the national territory a sustainable environmental management in accord with their urban development and to cooperate in the maintenance of the environment, as well as to contribute to the quality of life the citizens.

High on a hill in Ítrabo there is a lonely goatherd, bleating about the rough treatment he has been receiving over the past year. The man has 55 goats, which he has never registered or that had received health checks as required by law. This would possibly have never come to the attention of the authorities, had it not been for the fact that his cortijo in the surrounding countryside of Ítrabo got burnt down and, not knowing where to put his goats, he decided that the best course of action was to take them all to his house within Itrabo town centre.

You can imagine what the neighbours thought when 55 goats and 4 dogs took up residence next door in the middle of a hot summer in 2007. The neighbours started complaining when the goats’ deposits started filling up the roads and the offensive smell coming from the house in the hot weather became unbearable. A written complaint was soon made against him and the goatherd then took his goats back off into the countryside, although too late to stop the legal process.

Since September 2007 the goatherd has been receiving correspondence from the Town Hall, which he has ignored. Events recently came to a head when the Mayor personally delivered a letter to the goatherd, informing him that at 8 am the next morning his goats would be taken away to be slaughtered.

Suddenly, a mediator from the COAG (the Agricultural and Farmers union) stepped in to mediate for the goatherd and it is was hoped that if the goats had their health check, they might be able to save them from the slaughter house.

In his defence, the goatherd has said that he always hated paperwork, which is why he never responded to previous correspondence sent to him. He states he loves his goats and being unmarried and with no other relatives they are his family and all he has. The goatherd does mention that once, when he had about 6 or 7 goats, he went up to Granada to register them and was told that he did not need to register with the number of goats he then had.

Too little and too late, and the Junta de Andalucía have now had the goats taken away from the goatherd. Eight Guardia Civil officers arrived at his house to take the goats away and while they were going about their business the goatherd lost his cool and threw a brick at one of them. He was promptly arrested but in the scuffle that ensued, he ended up paying a visit to Motril hospital for treatment on the way to jail.

All together now: Odl lay ee, old lay ee, Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee, Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee, Odl lay odl lay odl lay.

If you are looking for a way to meet new people, visit local points of interest or to get involved in/with the community, then the International Club of Salobreña might be for you. Although the name suggests ‘of Salobreña’, the members (a friendly, welcoming group) come from the Alpujarras/Lecrín Valley to the coast, Motril to La Herradura.

Meetings are held throughout the year on Wednesdays (with Christmas/summer breaks). Activities over the past year have included: guided walking tours of Motril, Salobreña and Frigiliana; visits to the Sugar and Olive Museums; talks by members on various topics; a wine-tasting; coach trips to Gibraltar, Jerez, Morocco and Antequera, as well as walks in a variety of Costa Tropical locations.

The Club also has social meetings and book swaps at the Hotel Salobreña. The first meeting after the summer break will be on Wednesday 17 September 2008 at 11am at the Hotel Salobreña. All newcomers are welcome. Subscriptions for the remainder of the year are €5 per person (half of the normal annual rate). If you would like more information go to www.icsalobrena.com, email specific questions to icssalobrena@hotmail.com or call Arlene on 666 763 478.

A Montessori teacher is opening a class group of three to six year olds in Molvízar, commencing September 2008. Delphine offers a unique opportunity for a child to grow in a safe environment with freedom of movement and choice in a richly structured environment. Apart from acquiring a strong knowledge base, children will develop autonomy, self-confidence, love of learning, respect for others and a high level of awareness. Places are limited to eight children. If you are interested to meet Delphine or would like further information, please contact her on 691 068 476.

I went along to the Caja Rural/Velasco lawyer informal chat entitled, Buying, Selling and Mortgaging your Property in Spain Simplified, which was very interesting. Those present had a good opportunity to voice all their doubts on the subject and were given very clear and concise information by María Teresa Velasco, who has her (lawyer) offices in Almuñécar.

Although the venue (Hotel Salobreña) was perfect, and every effort had been made for a good turn out, including a very nice buffet at the conclusion, Spanish football imposed itself, thanks to the Eurocopa (European Cup).

Whereas Noël Coward’s lyric claims, referring to England, ‘everything stops for tea,’ here in Spain the country actually grinds to a complete halt when the Spanish team is playing - even the Parliament is subdued as anything less than life-and-death matters are postponed to a more convenient time.

It is to be hoped that the Caja Rural and Maite Velasco agree to repeat the event, later on in the year, because such advice and opportunity to have your questions answered is very important before taking the plunge in the Spanish property Market