 |
|
|
 News from Around Banderas Bay | July 2005 
Rio Cuale Handicraft Corridor Project Approved
 PVNN
| | According to Mayor Gustavo Gonzalez Villaseñor, the recently approved Cuale River Handicraft Corridor project will "give Puerto Vallarta a 'new face' and preserve the Old Mexico ambiance of the city's historical town center." |
Puerto Vallarta - Last Monday, in an ordinary session of the City Council, the "Cuale River Handicraft Corridor" project was unanimously approved. The project, drawn up by the Puerto Vallarta Department of Urban Planning, will consist of 62 commercial spaces on the Isla Rio Cuale intended for the relocation of vendors from Parque Hidalgo, Benito Juarez Park and vendors from other zones around the city.
Mayor Gustavo Gonzalez stated that the purpose of the Cuale River Handicraft Corridor is to relocate vendors from streets and public plazas, with the intention of giving the downtown area a "new face" and preserving the Old Mexico ambiance of Puerto Vallarta's historical center.
Victor Hugo Fernandez Flores, the city councilman in charge of Socioeconomic and Urban Planning, presented the enterprise to council members, saying that the private sector participated in the decision to build the Handicraft Corridor on the Cuale River Island for the purpose of changing the city's image.
Council woman for Inspection and Vigilance, Edelmira Orizaga, commented that the Cuale River Handicraft Corridor is an attractive project that will provide adequate space for the relocation of the park vendors. Her only request was that no permits would be granted that would result in the displacment of existing merchants.
In this regard, the mayor denied the possibility of displacing authorized merchants on the Rio Cuale, and reiterated that the project will make it possible to bring about a new regulation that forbids the installation of stands or vendors in public plazas, which will ensure the enjoyment of Puerto Vallarta's residents and visitors.
Councilman Cayetano García Bobadillla pointed out the need to regulate the operation of the locales in order to avoid situations like those of other public markets, where locale holder's dues are delinquent. Gonzalez replied that it will be City Hall's duty to inform and orient the vendors that will be moved to the handicraft corridor, and to raise public awareness for the need to establish a proper place for "informal" salesmen.
Concilman for Tourism Agustin Alvarez Valdivia commented that the new commercial and handicraft corridor will give informal vendors the opportunity to incorporate into the formal economy, by paying rent and taxes like any other merchant. According to city councilman Cesar Abarca the idea is to "turn the Isla Cuale into a tourist attraction."
He added that talks have been already held with Puerto Vallarta tourist guide publishers about including the new marketplace in their publications in order to strengthen the city's efforts to promote the Cuale River Handicraft Corridor as an important commercial arts and crafts center and cultural zone in Puerto Vallarta.
Councilwoman Eva Contreras Sandoval proposed an interesting concept, stating that the Cuale River Handicraft Corridor should be modeled after the commercial area in Playa del Carmen that was developed exclusively for handicraft commerce. In response, Ecology and Planning Commissioner Arturo Davalos Peña volunteered to be a part of the committee that will be in charge of supervising the construction of the locales, as well as the vendor relocation process.
The project directive calls for the creation of a technical and vigilance committee, comprised of city council representatives and members of the Cuale River Island Merchants Association, for the purpose of preserving the Rio Cuale's natural environment and the region's vegetation.
The dictum also establishes that a consistency study for the proposed use of land must be carried out before the locales are constructed, and a strict set of urban integration regulations must come into effect in order to ensure the project's success. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us