The popular 10-kilometer race that runs through the Ciudad Lineal neighborhood through Arturo Soria Street had an unexpected ending this year, also featuring its president advisor. The city councilor, Nadia Álvarez, snatched a poster from the hands of the winner of the sporting event, who was carrying it as he climbed to the top of the podium. In his banner, the athlete demanded the defense of the La Elipa pine forest with the message “let’s defend the pine forest, more pine trees, less asphalt”.
The person concerned, who in statements to Somos Madrid indicates that he prefers not to give his name “so as not to put up with the bullshit of the PP supporters”, has thus joined the neighborhood struggle to protect this wooded area of 14.5 hectares with views of Torrespaña. “At no time was anyone attacked, a flag was raised with criticism, always with respect, and to try to make visible a neighborhood demand in a neighborhood activity,” explains Tereixa Blanco, another runner and neighbor , in statements collected by El Pays. .
Madrid City Hall awarded the construction contract in May La Elipa Pine Forest Park Recovery Projectwhose work is beginning. The maintenance and improvement of the park has always been a request from the neighborhood, but in the opinion of the La Nueva Elipa Neighborhood Association, the Town Hall project is not the best possible solution because it undermines its natural character at the expense of greater urbanization by prioritizing the proliferation of new street furniture, paved roads, gravel and excessive lighting.
The fight against hard roads and gravel (a compacted fill used extensively in streets and residential areas) has already turned the neighborhood against other renovated parks, such as Aluche or Calero, in the La Conception district.
The neighborhood association presented a proposal to the Ciudad Lineal Planning and Environment Council on April 30 to request the neighborhood’s participation in the project. Shortly after, he requested a meeting with councilor Nadia Álvarez. So far, the municipality of José Luis Martínez-Almeida has not responded to their requests.
What park lovers have been asking for years is that it be understood that the Elipa pine forest must be essentially a forest area, officially giving it the classification of forest park already held by others like Dehesa de the Villa, Valdevebas, La Casa de Campo or the Vicálvaro Forest Park.
