By the end of its current term of office, the council of Alcoutim wants to create two river beaches at Odeleite dam.
The plan had been festering in an in-tray at the Ministry of Environment for a decade, according to former mayor Francisco Amaral.
"We're trying to move forward in terms of projects and want two river beaches at the Odeleite dam. Given the experience I have had with the river beach at Alcoutim,(pictured) the biggest tourist attraction of the town, two more river beaches at the Odeleite dam will energise that area" said the former mayor, in a no nonsense mood.
The Odeleite dam is the main water storage area for the eastern Algarve and is located close to many typical Algarve villages which, according to the mayoral vision, would "benefit from the creation of these inland beaches."
Amaral, who was mayor of Alcoutim council for two decades, said the river beach built during his presidency is currently "the main tourist attraction" in this remote north east area of the region and replicating these beaches at the Odeleite dam would "help restore the area and the local economy."
Amaral, now the mayor Castro Marim, criticised the "excessive" and "incomprehensible" bureaucracy that the plans for the Odeleite dam area have been subject to for a decade.
"Because we're in the country, the development plan for the Odeleite dam has been marinating in the drawers of the Ministry of Environment for ten years, from 2004 to 2014.”
The mayor described as "scandalous" the bureaucracy that the Spatial Plan for the dam area was subjected to after, in 2004, the government gave the council "18 months to do everything in terms of these plans" yet the document finally was approved after a ten year delay.
Construction of official bathing beaches also would end the illegal use of the dam by swimmers during the summer when dozens of people use the dam’s shoreline to access the water," without any security provisions."
