Xàbia sports clubs contribute to time capsule buried underneath municipal pool

Thursday 23rd February 2023
Mike Smith

A snapshot of the sporting scene in Xàbia in 2023 has been buried in a time capsule within the foundations of the municipal swimming pool. It will remain underground for a quarter of a century before being re-opened in 2048 to provide future generations information about the diversity and social mobilization generated by the great sporting family in the town.

The act, loaded with symbolism, began with a minutes’ silence to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and remember those who have lost their lives over the past twelve month, expressing a desire for peace and to show solidarity within the Ukrainian people.

Afterwards, the sports clubs and associations, groups which mayor José Chulvi considered to be full of “people who work selflessly to promote sport in the municipality and, especially, offer a healthy leisure alternative full of positive values to the youngest”. He called them “a great united family which fills us with pride … giving us meaning to infrastructures such as the swimming pool that is being built”.

The councillor responsible for Sports, Alberto Tur, added what makes these infrastructures iconic are the people who work “every day without stop to mark Xàbia a town which offers quality sporting opportunities for all”. He added that the town is not only “a cradle of great athletes and great people … but also has great clubs – almost 40 – which word hand in hand with the local council with a clear objective: sport in capital letters.

And then, one by one, club representatives offered objects to be placed in the time capsule; they were from Rítmica Xàbia, Club de Judo Dojo Do, Club de Tenis Jávea, Club de Voley Jávea, Club Deportivo Montgó,  Basket Joventut, Atletismo Llebeig, Hockey Xàbia, Ciclista Jávea, Club Náutico Jávea, Fútbol La Marina, CD Jávea, Club d’Escacs Xàbia, Centre Excursionista Xàbia, Muay Thai Toro, Club de Pilota, Washinkai, Tenis Taula and Club de Remo Xàbia. In addition, the two senior citizen associations – who wanted to participate as future users of the swimming pool – offered documents about the entities.

On behalf of the local council, the mayor joined together with councillors Vicent Colomer and Juan Ortolá (both of whom have served as sports councillors) to place inside the capsule some documents and the crest of the sports council, a copy of the town title, a municipal publication, a handwritten letter and a photo of the act itself.

The current sports councillor highlighted that his department has been going through an exciting time. A new municipal swimming pool is being built “after years of demands and a lot of work” which is moving towards the completion phase, adding that “it marks the beginning of an unstoppable path to the largest investment ever in sports infrastructure in Xàbia – around 14 million euros – which includes the remodelling of the Les Mesquides pitch, improvements to the municipal football ground and the proposed new sports centre in Freginal.

He called it an investment not only in sport but also in “health, education, inclusion, equality and much more, because sport is a tool with which we transmit values to our society”.