La Guancha (Ponce, Puerto Rico)

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Complejo Recreational y Cultural La Guancha
La Guancha Recreational and Cultural Complex
La Guancha.jpg
La Guancha Boardwalk, the centerpice of the La Guancha Recreational Complex
Type Passive park
Location Bario Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Area approx 20 cuerdas
Created 23 June 1998
Operated by Autonomous Municipality of Ponce
Status Open every day
Parking Several areas with parking for about 900 vehicles

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The La Guancha Recreational and Cultural Complex (Spanish: Complejo Recreational y Cultural La Guancha) is a sector located in barrio Playa in Ponce, Puerto Rico with family recreational and cultural facilities that opened on June 23, 1998.[1] The highlight of the complex is La Guancha Boardwalk, which is flanked by a beach, an observation tower, an amphitheater, and 24 open-air kiosks.[2] It was developed during the administration of Mayor Rafael Cordero Santiago.[3]

History

Originally La Guancha consisted of a road alongside a dike built close to the easternmost shore of barrio Playa across from Ponce Yacht Club. The romantic area was frequented by families and sweethearts alike, especially on weekends, for relaxion and bonding. During the administration of Mayor Cordero, however, a number of facilities were added to the La Guancha area at a cost of over $18 million, developing it into a new recreational complex.[4]

Facilities

Seven new facilities were added to the existing boardwalk area:[5]

  • The Dr. Enrique "Coco" Vicens Recreational and Cultural Center (Spanish: Centro Recreativo y Cultural Enrique "Coco" Vicéns), which consists of an open-air amphitheater for concert-type facilities and seating some 30,000 spectators.[6] Its stage is known as "Tarima Hector Lavoe".[7]
  • A rides and amusement park area, intended for the celebration of Patron Saint's Day Festivals, fairs, and similar festivities
  • The Jose Angel Zayas Colon Children's Park, with over 40 games for the youngters, plus the (Julio and Geraldo) Chamorro-Franceschini Brothers Park, with facilities for the handicapped
  • Several parking areas with parking for some 900 vehicles, and distributed throughgout the complex
  • A majestic fountain, as its main axis, displaying the city's Coat-of-arms and its iconic lion
  • A multi-use building providing facilities for the Ponce Municipal Police, medical emergencies and ambulance, and other related agencies
  • A nourished beach area with over 10,000 cubic meters of new sand that replenished and built up the previous beach area, and including five beach volleyball courts, gazebos, access ramps to the Caribbean Sea, and associated illumination.

This project complemented the recently inaugurated tourist pier in the nearby Port of Ponce, and which saw an investment of $4 million.[8]

Funding

The Complex was developed by the Department of Community and Economic Development of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce at a cost of $18.6 million. The breakdown of the cost included $3.6 million in the acquisition of the Paseo Tablado La Guancha, 6.5 million in the purchase of over 27 acres (110,000 m2) of land, $8.0 million in the construction of the project, $0.2 million for the bidding process, and $0.3 million for the upgrade of PR-12 (Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros) as infrastructure leading to the new complex.[9]

Gallery

  • DSC03541 Hector Lavoe Plaza at La Guancha, in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Hector Lavoe Rides and Amusement Plaza (Western End)

  • DSC03540 Rides and Amusement Park Area at La Guancha, in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Rides and Amusement Park Area (Eastern End)

  • DSC03548 Jose Angel Zayas Colon Childrens Park sign at La Guancha, in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Jose Angel Zayas Colon Children's Park sign

  • DSC03531 Children's Playground at La Guancha in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Children's Playground at the Jose Angel Zayas Colon Children's Park

  • DSC03530A Children's Area, Complejo Recreativo La Guancha in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Sign marking the Children's Area

  • DSC03532A Chamorro Franceschini Bros. Handicapped Childrens' Park at La Guancha in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Chamorro-Franceschini Bros. Handicapped Children's Park

  • DSC04993 - Estacionamiento Publico en el Area Recreacional La Guancha, en el Barrio Playa, Ponce, PR.jpg

    Public parking for over 900 cars at La Guancha

  • DSC03537 Lion at the Entrance to La Guancha in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Majestic Fountain and Lion at the Entrance to La Guancha

  • DSC03528A Sign marking the multiple use building at La Guancha Recreational Complex.jpg

    Sign marking the Multiuse Building

  • DSC03543 Administrative Multiuse Building at La Guancha, in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Administrative Multiuse Building

  • DSC03547 EMS Office at La Guancha, in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    EMS Office at the Multi Use Building

  • Sand-nourished La Guancha Beach

  • DSC03546 Beach volleyball courts at La Guancha, in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Beach volleyball courts

  • DSC03536 Ponce Muncipal Band Gazebo at La Guancha in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Ponce Municipal Band Gazebo

  • DSC03529 Walkway at La Guancha Recreational Complex at Barrio Playa in Ponce, Puerto Rico.jpg

    Walkway

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Inaguran Complejo de Recreacion La Guancha. El Nuevo Dia. June 15, 1998. (In Spanish.)
  2. ↑ Mejoras para La Guancha de Ponce. El Sur a la Vista. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  3. ↑ Recuerdan en Ponce al León Mayor. Periodico La Perla del Sur.
  4. ↑ Inaguran Complejo de Recreacion La Guancha. El Nuevo Dia. 15 June 1998. (In Spanish.)
  5. ↑ Inaguran Complejo de Recreacion La Guancha. El Nuevo Dia. June 15, 1998. (In Spanish.)
  6. ↑ Meca sureña del sabor y esparcimiento. Arlyn Díaz. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  7. ↑ Para junio restauración del Paseo Tablado. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  8. ↑ Remozan al Sector La Guancha en Ponce. El Nuevo Dia. 30 January 1997. (In Spanish.)
  9. ↑ Inauguran Complejo de Recreacion La Guancha. El Nuevo Dia. 15 June 1998. (In Spanish.)

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