Formentera's councillors of social welfare, environment and sports, Vanessa Parellada, Daisee Aguilera and Jordi Vidal, respectively, shared news today of the activities organised by the Council to commemorate Children's Day on the island. Universal Children's Day occurs on November 20 and, as last year, a programme of events has been tailor-made for local children and teens. Formentera is also recognised as a Child-friendly City, an honour bestowed on the Council October 17, 2014.

Conferences
The programme gets under way tomorrow with two open conferences. Paco Pérez will give a talk entitled "El rosa y el blau ja no molen" (Why pink and blue just don't cut it anymore) and Virginia Vallejo will present another on sexual diversity and gender identity. For parents, guardians or anyone else interested, the two events will take place from 7.00pm in the conference hall of the Office of Culture.

Activities continue until November 30 with everything from storytelling for kids, theatre, film screenings and an open-house at the sports centre to reach out to Formentera young people and families.

This year also sees the return of two other initiatives: the community beach cleanups organised jointly with Formentera schools and an intergenerational space to facilitate exchanges between youth and the elderly. On Saturday, November 25, residents are invited to take part in a community bike ride, a first this year and just one of the many activities marking Universal Children's Day. See posters for more information.

Vanessa Parellada, councillor of the CiF's Offices of Social Welfare and Youth Services, was joined today by Joan Ferrà, director of the Balearic Islands' youth institute (IBJove) on a visit to the local casa de colònies, a building that historically hosted children's educational events and camp-style activities and which is overseen by IBJove. Ferrà used the day's meeting to announce upcoming changes to the partnership agreement between the two entities that will allow the hall to remain open all year long.

Year-round use of the Formentera Casa de Colònies has been an aim of the Formentera Council since 2013, when the then administration of the Govern Balear shortened the site's operating season. Parellada hailed the change as an improvement. Additionally, Ferrà signalled a forthcoming increase in funding for maintenance at the Casa, with a total projected sum of €12,000. The 2016 allocation for such operations, €11,000, was already an increase from 2015 levels, when it stood at €4,115.

La Casa de Colònies de Formentera is located in the town of Sant Francesc. The building has a maximum capacity of 32, which, across the hall's four rooms, means space for eight people in each. It is equipped with a domestic-use kitchen, multi-purpose room, outside patio, toilets and showers. The Casa serves as a dormitory though there is no cafeteria service. Anyone interested in reserving space at Formentera's Casa de Colònies should contact the IBJove. Reservations are accepted for groups of 20 people minimum. The space is primarily used for training, school recreation or other activities that mix leisure and learning.

CiF sports councillor Jordi Vidal and Daniel de la Dueña, operations manager for the department, together with Jesús Ferrer of Grup Esportiu Espalmador and Nuria de la Torre of Trasmapi, unveiled plans for a mountain bike race around the island from October 29 to 31. BTT Volta Cicloturista Formentera (BTT is the acronym in Catalan and Spanish for “all terrain bycycle”) will take place without any interruptions to vehicle traffic and is expected to receive some 100 participants.

As organisers explained in a press conference this morning, the race will be split into three stages that are held over three days and will entail participating cicloturistes' riding 119 kilometres and braving a combined total of 1,463 meters of incline. More hardcore cyclists also have the option of taking part in another mountain bike tour, BTT LA MOLA. Already considered a classic after twelve years, the circuit used for BTT LA MOLA is more difficult and is classed as an eligible event for the Pitiüsa islands' mountain biking championship, dubbed Challenge del Campionat Pitiús de BTT. From the Basque Country's Guipuzkoa province, Ibon Zugasti will be on hand not only to compete, but he is also the event's special guest.

The Formentera Council organises BTT Volta Cicloturista in hand with Grup Espalmador Esportiu and Unisport Consulting. Organisers pledge the annual fixture will always take place in late October to ensure numbers remain manageable and participants can enjoy the perks of Discover Formentera in October. Councillor Vidal gave thanks to Trasmapi, the race's chief sponsor.

For more information and to sign up, visit www.bttformentera.net. Results of the race can be found at elitechip.com.

The Formentera Council has reported that from mid May to October 2 the ses Salines park registered entry of 76,415 vehicles not belonging to Formentera residents into the natural reserve, a 6,916-vehicle increase on 2015 figures. Likewise, they reported 145,108 non-resident scooters, an increment of 19,986 compared to last year. CiF environment councillor Daisee Aguilera said the biggest change was seen before and after the high season, an indication of improved occupancy rates in May and September. The councillor also asserted that a rise was seen in parking space turnover rates during the heart of the summer season.

The company that oversees vehicle entry into ses Salines, Ibifor, collected €878,108, growth of €62,124 compared to 2015. Of that sum the Council will receive €140,000 plus €78,175, a portion which is based on exact entry figures. The money is reinvested in park maintenance, which includes signage and path maintenance, installation of new signs and a tailor-made road cleaning and waste collection service. This year that service was staffed with an additional employee to steward care of the park's image and outreach around environmental issues.

In total, there is parking for 384 cars and 1,132 scooters at Formentera's part of the ses Salines park. This year was the first time officials banned entry of quad bikes to minimise impact and boost conservation efforts within the park. Furthermore, entry to the park by municipal and private buses was regulated to tackle rush hour traffic slowdowns. Heavy-load vehicles carrying products to area restaurants also saw their access restricted during peak hours.

Toilets and shade
Moreover, this summer Ibifor installed four portable toilets adapted for use by disabled individuals at the park. The Council assumed costs related to cleaning costs.

In addition, the councillor signalled a drop in the fee the CiF pays to the coastal authority, Demarcació de Costes, in return for permission to occupy the car park areas. The Council will also undertake the progressive installation of shade-providing structures for parked vehicles.