New €376,000 Playground Planned for El Golfo as Yaiza Awaits Cabildo Approval
New €376,000 Playground Planned for El Golfo as Yaiza Awaits Approval
Families visiting El Golfo could eventually have a much-improved place for children to play, with Yaiza Town Hall seeking the go-ahead for a major renovation of the village’s existing playground.
The proposed El Golfo playground project carries a budget of €376,000 and would cover around 720 square metres. Importantly, the plan is not to expand the playground into additional land. Instead, the new facility would be created within the footprint of the existing play area.
That will be welcome news for families who enjoy visiting this spectacular part of Lanzarote, where the volcanic landscape and Atlantic coastline make El Golfo one of the island’s most distinctive villages.
What is planned for the El Golfo playground?
The project is designed as a complete modernisation rather than simply replacing a few pieces of equipment.
According to the project information released by Yaiza Town Hall, the plans include new children’s play equipment designed to meet current standards, impact-absorbing safety surfacing, additional play features and perimeter fencing to improve safety.
The intention is to create a more modern, secure and inclusive space for children while making better use of the area already occupied by the current playground.
The council says the project forms part of its wider programme to modernise and introduce improved children’s play areas across the municipality of Yaiza.
Why has the project not started yet?
There is an important environmental and planning consideration surrounding El Golfo.
The village sits within the area of the Parque Natural de Los Volcanes, meaning projects in the area can require approvals and reports from several authorities.
Yaiza submitted the technical project in July to the relevant State Coastal authority, the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo de Lanzarote’s environmental department. The municipality is now pressing the Cabildo for the authorisation it says is needed before the project can move towards tendering and construction.
In the latest request, Mayor Óscar Noda again asked the Cabildo to give the necessary approval.
The timing is particularly interesting because the long-running Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales (PORN) for the Parque Natural de Los Volcanes has also been moving through its final stages.
The plan approved by the Cabildo recognises El Golfo as a consolidated urban area within the territorial planning framework. However, there has been a recent administrative complication: the publication of the PORN approval in the provincial bulletin was subsequently annulled because the published material was incomplete. That means the previously announced October entry-into-force date cannot currently be treated as definitive until the required publication is completed.
For the playground project, the immediate issue remains the authorisations required for the proposed works.
What will the €376,000 investment mean for visitors?
For tourists staying in Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen or elsewhere in Lanzarote, El Golfo is already a popular stop on a day out exploring the island’s volcanic south-west.
The village is best known for its dramatic coastline, volcanic scenery and the nearby Charco de los Clicos. It is also a popular place to stop for lunch while exploring the Yaiza area.
A modern children’s playground would add another useful family facility to the village, particularly for parents travelling with younger children who want to break up a day of sightseeing with some play time.
It is also significant for local residents. A good-quality public playground is an everyday community facility, not simply a tourist attraction, and the proposed renovation would give families living in El Golfo a safer and more modern space close to home.
Will the new playground be bigger?
No. One of the key points of the proposal is that the new playground is planned for the same 720-square-metre area as the existing facility.
Yaiza says the project will not consume additional land. The emphasis is therefore on upgrading the existing site rather than expanding into the surrounding environment.
That is particularly relevant in El Golfo because of the village’s location within a protected volcanic landscape.
When will the new El Golfo playground open?
There is currently no confirmed opening date.
The project still requires the outstanding approval from the Cabildo before Yaiza can proceed to the next stage. Once the necessary permissions are in place, the municipality can move towards tendering the works and, eventually, construction.
