The Mogán City Council is putting out to tender the works to refurbish a municipal warehouse in Veneguera as an oil mill and hiking interpretation center for an amount of 204.058,77 euros. This action is part of the European ECO-TUR2 program of which Mogán is a partner and acts as leader, its main objective being to promote and implement ecotourism as well as actions for the conservation and awareness of natural and cultural heritage.
Mogán is working on the launch of different microtourism products and services within the framework of ECO-TUR2. Among these, the oil mill and the interpretation center, which next year will be a reality in Veneguera. This predominantly agricultural area is located in the enclave of the Nublo Natural Park and also has great tourist interest as it has different trails and elements of cultural interest such as wells, washing places or the houses of La Cogolla.
The works, whose execution is expected to take six months once they begin, will be carried out in a municipal warehouse that was once used for tomato packaging, as reported by the Councilor for Agriculture, Neftalí Sabina. The property is at least 45 years old and its complete renovation is intended to guarantee compliance with current regulations and improve energy efficiency, aspiring as far as possible to make it self-sufficient with photovoltaic installation. Likewise, it will have new plumbing, sanitation, the necessary facilities to provide it with Internet, telephone and television, air conditioning, toilets and a cold room in the oil mill.
The property will have differentiated uses, these being perfectly linked to the environment in which it is located. The interpretation center will provide information of interest about the extensive network of trails to hikers who travel along the path next to which said building is built. On the other hand, the oil mill will support Mogán's many olive farmers, who for the first time will be able to produce oils derived from the plantations on their farms in the municipality.
“The purpose is to offer another service to farmers and residents of the municipality who have olive trees on their properties,” Sabina reiterated, pointing out that there are currently 1.800 of these trees registered in the municipality. Furthermore, last year alone, 79 male and female farmers participated in the municipal campaign to combat the moth in olive trees, a number that is estimated to be able to benefit from this new service.
In order to get it started, in parallel the City Council is putting out to tender the acquisition of the mill's auxiliary machinery and furniture, which is also financed with ECO-TUR2 funds and through a subsidy of 60.000 euros from the Ministry of Primary Sector and Food Sovereignty of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria.
Mogán has been granted 388.102,86 euros as a partner of ECO-TUR2 to continue promoting ecotourism and active tourism in the municipality. Of that amount, 85% is financed by the European Regional Development Fund-ERDF within the framework of the INTERREG VA Spain-Portugal MAC (Madeira-Azores-Canary Islands) Cooperation Program 2014-2020. The City Council contributes the remaining amount.
