(Haifa) – The Haifa Municipality announced that starting from the upcoming bathing season, it will be the one to manage the quiet beach, which was operated for many years by the "Sea Works" company.
The last agreement signed between the municipality and the company was in October 2022, and stipulated that the company would operate the beach for three seasons with an option to extend for another two years. As part of the agreement, Yam Works committed to renovating the locker room and restroom complex, after years of neglect.
Now, the municipality has decided to terminate the contract and operate the beach directly, in accordance with the standards it has set for all municipal beaches. The decision has raised questions and concerns among the religious-Haredi public, who have been frequenting the beach for years. The municipality was quick to clarify that the beach will continue to serve the religious public, as it has been until now.
In response to the decision, the Sea Works company filed an administrative petition against the municipality, claiming that it was an illegal decision. The company claims that the municipality made the decision unilaterally, just a week before the start of the bathing season, despite the existence of a valid agreement between the parties. In the petition, the company asks the court to order the cancellation of the decision and to oblige the municipality to honor the agreement signed in 2022.
In addition, the company demands that the court order the municipality to pay it a first payment for operating the beach in 2025 in the amount of 375 thousand shekels, as well as to pay the linkage differences on all payments made since 2022, in accordance with the agreement. At the same time, the company filed a request for temporary relief until a hearing on the matter is held, as well as temporary relief until a legal decision.
The petition claims that the operating agreement between the parties is binding for five years, and that since the municipality did not announce the non-exercise of the extension option by the end of January, the agreement was automatically extended to 2025. According to the company, by the time the municipal decision was made, it had already invested significant resources in preparing for the upcoming bathing season, including recruiting lifeguards, paramedics, maintenance workers, and various contractors.
The Haifa Municipality informed Haifa: "The quiet beach will continue to serve the religious-ultra-Orthodox bathing public as it has throughout the years. In the meantime, the municipality is determined to ensure that the beach will be operated by it at the highest level, according to the standards it has set for all municipal beaches."
I don't understand why there was even an outside company running it???? The showers and toilets for years were substandard, filthy, etc....
I see the external company as a waste of money!!
I hope the city will renovate and bring it to a proper and safe condition.
The best beach in Haifa, what do I care? Separate or not, there is nothing on this beach. Anyone who hasn't been there won't understand. Not just in Haifa, I think it's all over the country. My brother is good.
The headline stating that management of the beach will be transferred to the Haifa Municipality is misleading. The matter is in legal proceedings and only the court will determine who will manage the beach.
There's a drunk animal rescuer there. Hope he doesn't stay.
In short, the Haifa Municipality's legal department messed up and did not announce the termination of the contract.
And who will bear the damage – the residents of Haifa.
The Haifa Municipality operates as the last of the protectionist gangs.
Establishing powerful facts
The sweetest childhood memories I have are from this beach.