Below is a plea from Nick which he has allowed me to share. My husband & I have known him for 10 years now and we have both done a tandem jump with him across the clifftops in Gran Alacant - a brilliant experience, would thoroughly recommend it btw! He owns his family business, Doyouwanna, and he, like lots of other experienced pilots, has been flying from the GA cliff top site for many, many years!
SOS PARAGLIDING SANTA POLA (SPAIN)
TAKEOFF WALL
We are many paragliding pilots who have enjoyed the free flying in Santa
Pola. Pilots from all over the world, and their families, on vacation for weeks or weekends, spending their time near the free flight zone, near one of the most precious regions on the Levante zone in Spain.
We brought our colorful wings, adventurous minds. We were photographed a million times, as souvenirs on tourists photo albums. On brochures, on flyers. Souvenirs of Santa Pola.
Several business, opened up near this marvelous world known spot, creating jobs. Attracted many visiting pilots, flying with thousands of passengers tandem flights.
All who wanted to go home with a treasured memory of Santa Pola.
I write in the past tense, as I am worried. Worried as this soon can be over.
And all because of the construction of an unnecessary wall in the middle of our take off.
A wall which is gonna higher up tremendously the risk of accidents.
And Let there be no doubt that many business around the paragliding community are gonna suffer, and to which degree, afraid to calculate,
It all sounds very pessimistic but, afraid all this will become reality soon.
The wall is gonna have its negative effect in lots if things. Overall, everybody is gonna loose.
• Pilots sportspeople : We will have to go fly other places, we will not longer be flying the emblematic site in Santa Pola.
• Santa Pola: Itself as community. Will loose all the numerous sportsmen coming down. Losing a extraordinary attraction for tourism. Thousands of pilots with their families will leave Santa Pola aside. Lots of money lost.
• Businesses in Santa Pola : Will loose the huge revenue of all visitors who come to Santa Pola to fly. They need accommodation, food, drinks, buy presents, etc. That money is soon gone. Thousands persons times lots of euros, times many days, will cause a brutal negative impact economically.
Only who underestimate the revenue of foreign visitors in Santa Pola will not agree.
Who wins??? I don’t know, nobody knows. You tell me.
I write this, because that’s all I can do, expressing my concern.
Please share this words with all pilots that you know, all who love Santa Pola.
And I also write this post to open up the eyes of town hall of Santa Pola. To ask their help, so thousands can keep on enjoying the region and its attractions. Bringing in money for the local business.
I hope you all share my opinion, and share this post.
We will fly further, no doubt, we are winners, been flying for over 30 years, paragliding in Santa Pola.
We need you!
Nick Pollet
Check out more about the threat to the paragliders' site under my other post in General Discussions! Thank you!
