Juan Antonio Sala Pascual, a reference in the defense of heritage in Alicante, passed away this morning. 68 years old. Activist spearheaded the fight against the location of a convention palace in Benacantil and in recent years Advocating ideal cinema as a cultural center as the spokesperson of the platform Salvem l’Ideal, a wish that will not come true. It was known just last week that Generalitat bans purchase of building because of the high price the owners wanted, so It will be used for hotel use.
Remains of the heritage defender, morgue in front University of AlicanteIn San Vicente, from 6:00 pm this afternoon. Friend and fellow sculptor Adrian CarilloHe underlined that it is “a reference in defending the heritage in every way”. He was involved in the struggle against the construction of a congress palace in Benacantil and was most recently involved in the transfer of maskletás, which destroyed the Ideal cinema and the Luceros monument. I lost a good partner and a very active person in the city”.
then eInterview with Juan Antonio Sala that this newspaper published last December Salvem as L’Ideal Platform spokesperson.
“The activist has for decades advocated Alicante’s cultural interests, first Benacantil not to build a congress palace, and more recently Ideal cinema. Sala Pascual recently VI «Reward in the land of the prophet» Awarded by the Controversia association for her career as a sociocultural activist.
Juan Antonio Sala Pascual: «I will not sing the victory song until I see the sale of Ideal, signed to the city »
Why was the Salvem l’Ideal platform born?
While Lassaletta is no longer mayor, Paco Huesca is heir to Salvem el Benacantil, which we staged between historian Enrique Cutillas and Carlos de Aguilera, a student of Félix de la Fuente and grandson of the Marquess of Benalúa. We were a team, we did graffiti, we did marketing campaigns, brochures, demonstrations. We were a cultural action group and we managed not to build the congress palace they wanted to do in Benacantil Alperi and Zaplana. When the Supreme Court stopped working and we saw the Ideal cinema closed, we established the new platform to incorporate it into the city’s heritage. The proprietary family wanted economic privileges that the City Council was not willing to grant them. In the time of Alperi and Castedo, there was no way to include him in the cultural heritage, investing money in people from cinema, circus and theater was not in his DNA. We spoke to mayor Simon again when the trio arrived, but it coincided with the intervention of Montoro’s City Council and when PP returned with Barcala they turned the tap off again.
They finally got Generalitat to buy it…
Consell allocated 5.5 million euros from its participant budgets for its acquisition as a cultural center and film library in the first place. Consel’s lack of investment in Alicante is a custodian court, he had debts and we got that money. But we won’t sing the victory song until we see the family sign the sale to the city of Alicante before a notary public. There is also a small controversy. The Ministry of Culture wants to preserve the historical ornaments, which were very difficult to maintain, as in the 1920s. It is not possible to protect a 1500-seat theater in Alicante. We think that the important thing is to protect cultural, leisure and artistic uses, not to preserve some ornaments, more than half of which have already been destroyed, even if architectural changes are required.
Alicante needs a cultural center for young people, and it’s not easy. So much easier to go for a late night or a bottle
How could it be managed?
We want the Generalitat, the City Council, the City Council, and a private foundation to go into four groups and create a kind of cultural casino that people can access by paying 1 euro a month. Our opinion is that Alicante’s major non-governmental organizations, from unions to Hercules, from music groups to neighborhood associations, add 1 euro to the fee paid, and that the largest number of citizens become members of Ideal. We will have the capacity to engage in cultural activities with an income of 10 thousand Euros per month and to strengthen the need of young people for culture. But City Hall likes the afternoon, the smell of oil. They are bypassing their own rules and have not included a single euro for the Ideal in the 2022 Budget.
Alicante artists turned to the cause…
They struggled hard with more than 30 artists from Alicante who believed that Ideal could be home to the house of culture that Alicante does not have. A provincial axis of amateur cultural manifestations, where young people can go to see cultural events. We need an education center where people can learn about culture, which is not easy, it’s easier to go out for an afternoon or a bottle. Covid will end one day and children will need activities that don’t exist.
Rest in peace.