AFTER A year of little activity, Torrevieja’s new planned market area has now sprung back into life. Located near the Parque Antonio Soria, the area is designated to hold the traditional Friday street market, which presently takes place in the area beside the Torrevieja’s Bus Station, which is Spain’s largest Friday Market. However, despite the strong tradition and power of concentration in the centre of the city there are a number of drawbacks because of its current location. It is located in a predominantly urban area with significant traffic congestion on market days, frequent inconvenience to neighbours, and above all, immense difficulties if it would be necessary to evacuate the area in case of any emergency in the market zone. This is due to the complexity of the urban fabric in which it is located and the new location, though outside of the town centre is designed to be a place for the future of the city, with 5,000 parking spaces and easy access for buses and cars, plus more vendor space.
The hold up with the construction was primarily due to having to design special drainage channels and adapt the area for the channelling of rainwater. Rainwater gathers takes on a road so close to the same site, including the N332. In fact, one of the advantages of the location of the new market zone is its easy access from both the N332 and from other roads of the city, which will allow most residents or visitors to enter its vicinity within minutes from any location in the municipality. In short, this enclosure constitutes the most substantial of all in which the Department of Infrastructure has invested in the city, amounting to a total of 5,328,885.60€.
Other events that could be held within the area are markets of all kinds, such as medieval, antique, trade shows, car displays plus there are also two service buildings, one for police checkpoint, a medical emergency room, management zone, container area, cafe, toilets and other facilities. The site will also have improvements in landscaping, woodland and garden ornaments plus it’s designed to share the large parking space with neighbouring trade and shopping units, which are also expected in the future. It’s also planned to move the May Fair to this area of the city away from the Harbour zone, which it has outgrown.
The new market area is located in a strategic location of the municipality beside the sports city and for it’s size, dimensions, accessibility and synergy with other recreational areas and municipal services; the market is truly placed in a strategic point of the city. It’s beside the industrial zone, nightclubs, concert zone plus sports facilities, multiple entertainment venues, a waterpark, and new catering firms that have been implemented in the area in recent months. Antonio Soria Park adjoins the Market which is designed to house concerts of up to 30,000 people. No date has been given for the finishing of the market zone, but it’s expected to be open possibly for the 2013 May Fair.