Progress at a Price

Whilst signs show that works will begin soon on the new Ronda Norte, other signs indicate a confused and uncertain picture for the River area in town.

As reported before on the City of Water, the new Ronda Norte will take traffic away from part of our very congested town and redirect it from the Manzanil area, down towards the river and out to the Aliator Bridge. All very good in theory, but in practice it will result in the disappearance of one of the few remaining tranquil areas of urban Loja where the ever-present noise of traffic does not yet intrude. It is rare in these times to find a spot in any urban environment that does not suffer from the invasion of vehicles in one form or another, and it is a real shame that even this natural habitat will soon be exposed to the very same pollution that now destroys a walk through the Pines above the Mirador hotel. And this is before the new Bus Station and the AVE have yet to arrive to the same area. Will Loja become the noisiest pueblo in Granada? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, just to throw us in all into confusion. The Ayuntamiento continue there work cleaning-up and improving the river area, building rest and picnic areas and securing the rivers edge with wooden fencing. All very positive - if a little late. One can´t help but think that its aimed at quietening the voices of dissent over the route of the Ronda Norte.

Others of course argue that it is all progress and that at least the river will get some attention after so many years of neglect. Progress at a price they say.
But as someone far more eloquent than I once replied - Is it progress when a cannibal uses a knife and fork?

See the Secret Walks section for directions to the river walk.