Cubelles, in the Garraf region, has been unable to reopen its historical social and cultural center since 2001, the Societat Recreational and Cultural L’Aliança. And it doesn’t seem that the situation can change either in the short or medium term.
The previous board of the entity promoted works budgeted at 300,000 euros, endorsed by various residents of the town, to be able to reopen the building. But there was a deviation in the budget that could not be paid. The L’Aliança board lost the lawsuit against the construction company that carried out the work, CPM, and the process was also lost due to a complaint from a neighbor who highlighted that the work did not have adequate insulation. In this last trial the City Council did not appear.
The board defends that the construction company did not use the appropriate materials to soundproof the building, but during the trial it did not present the documentation to support it “for not arriving on time.” All of this meant that a lender did not want to continue investing. However, the City Council bought the new seats, which were never installed, according to the mayor and member of L’Aliança, Rosa Fonoll.
The president of L’Aliança, Xavier Borrell, states that “the City Council is committed to the task of reopening the center.” But he believes that it could be recovered if the municipal political will were given, a project to soundproof it was commissioned and the necessary financial resources were obtained to carry out the works. Borrell says that “at least we want what happened to be made known.”
The mayor says that the City Council “has done everything possible for L’Aliança to reopen, but there is a court ruling that prevents it since the establishment does not comply with the measures it has to comply with.” She adds that “we have never raised any objections,” but that the contract was conditional on the permits and licenses that could not be granted.
The Recreational and Cultural Society L’Aliança de Cubelles was born on July 30, 1914. Today it no longer has a hundred members, after losing more than a hundred in the last five years. It has a centenary building, of Indian origin, which has hosted the social and cultural life of the municipality. It is declared a cultural asset of local interest and protected by the Catalog and Special Plan for the Protection of the Historical Heritage of Cubelles, as noted by the Diputación de Barcelona. Its main promoter was Pere Escardó Pedro, then mayor of the town and nephew of an Indian who made it possible for electricity to be brought to Cubelles. Escardó acquired the plot of land in Plaza de la Font, built the building and bequeathed it to the Societat Recreativa i Cultural L’Aliança. This entity was originally dedicated to entertainment, especially theatre, candy and cinema. After the Civil War, and before the closure of the other local cultural association, Círcol Cubellenc, it monopolized the cultural life of the municipality.
