Night-time use and damage to the swimming pool in Guaro force the town hall to take vigilance measures

The municipal swimming pool in Guaro has been in the news in recent days, not because of the imminent arrival of summer or the start of the bathing season, but because of the acts of vandalism registered in its facilities, which has forced the town hall to consider surveillance and control measures.

According to what the council itself has reported on its social networks, people are irregularly accessing the enclosed area and causing damage to the furniture and leaving rubbish behind. Although the events have not been considered serious, they have prevented the pool from opening normally, as it is not in optimal conditions of hygiene and safety.

"The problem is that they sneak in at night, especially groups of young people, because, with the artificial grass and umbrellas, the environment is comfortable," explained the mayor of Guaro, José Antonio Carabante, in statements to SUR. "We are not talking about thefts, they are more like mischief, but that doesn't mean we don't have to act, because if something happens, it is our responsibility,” he added.

In view of this situation, the council has announced its intention to install surveillance cameras on the municipal grounds to deter further intrusions and to be able to identify offenders in the event of an incident. However, Carabante said that this is a complex measure from a legal point of view. "Technology is advancing faster than legislation. In small municipalities like ours, it is not always easy to meet all the legal requirements for the use of cameras, especially if you don't have your own fully operational Local Police force."

The mayor pointed out that municipal surveillance is currently carried out through an external agreement and that legal formulas are being studied so that, if the cameras are finally installed, their management remains within the regulatory framework. In this sense, he explained that the scope of surveillance would be limited to areas of municipal ownership and not on public roads.

The necessary investment, he said, would be assumed directly by the town hall, although it is still in the study phase. "We will have to go through the corresponding administrative procedure, see if it is a minor contract or not, and act in accordance with what is indicated by the head of the finance department," Carabante said.

The pool, which usually opens to the public from 1 July, requires several days of refurbishment and health checks before its official opening. In the meantime, the council insists that these irregular accesses not only compromise the safety of the users, but also delay the work to get the pool ready for use.

"The problem is that if someone jumps the fence and has an accident, it is our responsibility. We can't allow it, even though we understand that they are young people looking to have a good time," he said. The mayor added that the objective is that "the pool is in good condition, complies with health regulations and opens with full guarantees for everyone".