Torrevieja council is to launch a public consultation as to where the municipality’s first dog beach is to be situated, with a shortlist of six sites. The plan is to have the canine beach up and running for the four-legged visitors before next Easter. The consultation has come about after complaints from the opposition Partido Popular, Ciudadanos, and Sueña Torrevieja political parties that residents should get their views taken on board, or else they would have used their majority in the council chamber to veto the project.
The suggested locations are Cala Ferrís; Cala de los Carabineros to the south of Cala Piteras; Cala del Moro in Cabo Cervera; Cala de los Trabajos, by the Mar Bella building; Playa de La Mata Pueblo; and Punta Margalla in an area leading to Playa La Cura.
How the consultation will take place still has not been made clear, although beaches councillor Javier Manzanares has suggested that it could take the form of an internet vote; people going to vote at selected polling places; or even resorting to using the electoral register for a formal vote in order to encourage a large turnout.
Informal surveys have suggested that the Cala Ferris site is the likely location to be chosen, whilst in contrast residents in La Mata have been quick to voice their opposition to a dog beach being designated in their area.
A successful dog beach was launched earlier this year in Santa Pola, which the council said had become a big boost for tourism, whilst Orihuela council have voted in principle for a beach at an unspecified location. The Murcia regional government are also encouraging all the councils around the Mar Menor to designate part of a beach designed for canine visitors and their owners.
