A cycling race forces the schedules of the CEIP Colonia de Sant Jordi and the IES Damià Huguet to be altered

PalmThe early closure of schools and the discontent of parents and residents mark the hours leading up to the Mallorca Cycling Challenge passing through Ses Salines and Colònia de Sant Jordi this Thursday. The CEIP Colonia de Sant Jordi and the IES Damià Huguet have been forced to bring forward the end of the school day to 12:00 PM to avoid students, teachers, and families being affected by the road closure between Colonia de Sant Jordi and Campos, scheduled between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. The decision, made as part of the race's security measures, has generated outrage among some families and residents of Colonia de Sant Jordi, who complain of being isolated on a weekday. According to the Ses Salines Town Hall, the School Council approved the earlier closing time.

ARA Baleares spoke with mothers from the CEIP Colonia de Sant Jordi school, who criticized the "cage operation" in the town center. "We won't be able to move around, because Colonia only has one exit. There are two secondary exits that lead to the main exit," explained one mother from the school. "There are signs all over the streets. Parking will also be prohibited," she added. The frustration is compounded, they explained, because the closure coincides with school and work hours. "It's unbelievable that this is allowed in a town that has no other way out, and on a weekday. Especially considering it's a race designed for Germans," she added.

The same mother questions the educational argument put forward by the City Council, that children should be able to "enjoy the spectacle": "If the mayor thinks the children should watch the race, then the normal school schedule should be maintained and the teachers should take them," she states. "It would have been enough for the stage to start at 2:30 p.m. so the children could leave at a leisurely pace," she opines. "And what do we do if the weather is bad, which is possible? Will they postpone it to another day and the children will finish earlier again?" In response to the criticism, the mayor of Ses Salines, Guillem Mas, explains that schools will maintain minimum services for families who cannot pick up their children before noon. He also clarifies that the decision to bring forward school hours was made by the schools themselves, in coordination with the City Council, with the aim of minimizing the disruption caused by the road closures. The City Council is pleased with the Challenge

The City Council, in any case, defends the sporting event and the boost it brings to the municipality. "We're happy that the Challenge is passing through the municipality, because it's a well-known and high-profile event. It's worth it for the children to finish early and see this spectacle," says Mas. The mayor also points out that the road between Colonia de Sant Jordi and Ses Salines will remain open, which, he says, will allow for movement within the municipality. "By turning the road around, people can get around," he states. Mas cites as an example the senior citizens' association, which moved its trip to Palma forward by half an hour to attend a concert series. According to Mas, the complete closure of the roads is an exceptional situation occurring for the first time this year, as the event is a time trial. "Every four minutes, a team will depart from Ses Salines towards Colonia," he explains. Thus, while the City Council touts the media exposure and economic return of the Challenge, some families and residents of Colonia de Sant Jordi complain that the event organizers have not sufficiently considered the reality of a community with very limited mobility, especially given that the disruption occurs during school hours and on a weekday.