Scaffolding on one side, garbage bags on the other. In Tangier, major restoration work is underway at the Cervantes Theater, but the condition of the area around it is now drawing attention.
Garbage bags, plastic waste and other rubbish have piled up across the esplanade next to the historic building, extending even to the roof of the Cervantes parking lot. The accumulation has turned the area into what looks like an open-air dump. The situation becomes even more striking on weekends, when visitor numbers increase.
سعيد قدري
The contrast is all the more glaring because the Cervantes Theater is currently being restored. The project is intended to breathe new life into one of the most iconic buildings in Tangier’s heritage. Yet just a few meters from the construction site, the area around the monument presents a very different picture.
For residents, community groups and tourism professionals, the situation is difficult to understand. How can a historic building be renovated while its immediate surroundings are left to deteriorate?
Tour guides are among those most directly affected. Every day, they take visitors around the neighborhood to discover its landmarks, with the piles of rubbish providing an unflattering backdrop to the city.
Residents have also raised concerns about other nearby locations, including the area around the historic Foundouk Chejra hotel, which features a large esplanade and several shops. Local associations warn that the deterioration is damaging the appeal of a neighborhood home to several sites of heritage and tourism interest.
Read also : Waste piles up in Agadir neighbourhoods as residents seek same attention as tourist areas
Residents have pointed to the company contracted to collect and manage waste in the Tangier-Medina district, accusing it of failing to take visible action despite repeated complaints filed with the relevant services.
Residents and visitors are now calling on the cleaning company and district authorities to intervene without delay, remove the accumulated rubbish and ensure that the affected public spaces are regularly maintained.
They are also asking for particular attention to be paid to the area surrounding the Cervantes Theater. In their view, restoring the monument cannot stop at its walls. Its immediate surroundings must also be cleaned up and brought back into proper condition.
