The Department Of Culture has now been waiting two years for the Nerja Council to get its act together regarding a project to renovate the Eagle Aquaduct, a popular tourist attraction in the town.
The aquaduct was built in 1880 to supply water to irrigate the Barranco de Maro and provide water for the local sugar factory. In 2005, the owners of the aquaduct, Larios, ceded the monument to the Nerja Council.
In November 2006, the Council proposed a trilateral plan to renovate the monument, financing being shared between the municipality, the Junta de Andalucía and private enterprise. Since then, nothing.
Several years ago, the Department of Culture, who are prepared to finance 50% of the renovation work, prepared a report which stated that the monument, now listed as a site of cultural interest, was not in danger of collapse and did not require immediate renovation.
The Department of Culture are keen to see a start to the renovation project, the monument being a tourist attraction, but they cannot do anything without action from the landlord, namely the Nerja Council.
The Nerja Council budget for this year includes an amount of €100,000 to begin the restoration work and the matter has been on the agenda for plenary session for several months but has never yet been discussed due to ‘lack of time’.
Hopefully they will get round to discussing it before the situation changes and the aquaduct does become in danger of collapsing, especially as the Department of Culture appear to be ready and waiting, money in hand!