The central plaza of Estepona's new park in the Arroyo Enmedio area (photo: Picasa)
ESTEPONA'S brand-new public park is now open in the west end of the Costa del Sol town's outskirts, complete with picnic tables, footpaths, and a botanical garden.
Aiming to improve outdoor life for residents, the local government says this picturesque and verdant oasis is part of its drive for 'sustainability', 'environmentally-friendly living', and making Estepona 'more attractive to live in'.
Radiating off a large plaza with open-air seating and shaded areas the 8,000-square-metre (two-acre) park includes an exercise circuit and an artificial woodland and meadow with typically-Mediterranean species of trees, bushes and ground-covers, such as pine, cypress and jacaranda.
The newly-created park, in the Arroyo Enmedio area, is closely linked to plans for expanding sports facilities nearby: Two new seven-a-side football grounds, one in astroturf and one in natural turf, plus four astroturf five-a-side football pitches, to complement rather than replace the existing 11-a-side grass pitch; a multi-use gym; extending the changing room areas; a store room, and an office and reception area.
These new and improved sports features are, like the new public park close by, funded and coordinated by the private property company responsible for developing the Arroyo Enmedio area of Estepona – an up-and-coming part of town which, in the past few years, has acquired the local hospital, several gardens, link roads between urbanisations, and new homes and infrastructure in the Valle Romano and Estepona Golf complexes.
As the park and sports grounds are private developer projects, they come at no cost to the local taxpayer.
