The executive president of Banco Popular, Christopher Paniagua, affirmed this Tuesday that President Luis Abinader has worked rigorously and tirelessly to promote the development and sustainability of the country.
During the inauguration of Velazcasas Park, led by President Abinader and the mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía, Paniagua thanked the president for his attitude of dialogue with all sectors to face and overcome current challenges.
“We appreciate his conviction that public-private alliances are of vital importance for the welfare of our people. This joint work that the President has fostered makes a great difference,” he said.
He added: “And we thank and appreciate his efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability, international leadership and social peace in our country”. During the ceremony, President Abinader was also accompanied by First Lady Raquel Arbaje.
The renovation of Velazcasas Park on the 30 de Mayo Highway, a project that will benefit more than 20,000 residents of the park’s surroundings, had an investment of DR 25 million.
The delivery of the works of this park strengthens with facts the commitment of the Mayor’s Office and the Government with the community, promoting a healthy and safe environment in the National District, while highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships as an effective vehicle for the sustainable development of the Dominican Republic.
Projects that benefit the community
Mayor Carolina Mejía thanked the executives of Banco Popular for supporting these projects that benefit the community and recalled that the “Park for All” initiative was born during a meeting with Christopher Paniagua, executive president of Banco Popular.
Mejia stressed that this park, which is the 155th delivered during these three years of management, is not only a place for healthy recreation, but also a symbol of dedication to improve the quality of life of all the inhabitants of the city.
“This Velazcasas Park is more than a green space; it is a testimony of what we can achieve when we work together. And in this collective effort I want to recognize the central government in the person of President Abinader because we always work hand in hand to make these works for the city a reality and likewise the institutions that have collaborated here,” said the mayor.
The president of the neighborhood council, Heriberta Fernández, thanked Mayor Carolina Mejía and Banco Popular for making this space, requested by the community for more than 25 years, a reality.
“With the public-private collaboration agreements it was possible to achieve that together, the Presidency of the Republic, the Banco Popular Dominicano and the Mayor’s Office of the National District, could consider and work on the construction of the Velazcasas Park”, said the president of the Neighborhood Board.
Work carried out
José Hernández Caamaño, vice-president of Engineering and Maintenance of Banco Popular, described the work carried out and explained that a new LED lighting system was installed with stadium-type poles and the automation of the electrical system for greater efficiency and energy savings. In the surroundings of the park, Empresa Distribuidoras de Electricidad del Sur (Edesur), contributed with the installation of about 40 lamps to guarantee the illumination of the whole place.
The Sistema Nacional de Atención a Emergencia y Seguridad 911 installed 360º surveillance cameras throughout the park and surrounding areas to reinforce security in the area and a megaphone that will be a channel of information for residents and visitors about the park rules and important information for a better citizen awareness.
Likewise, the Water and Sewer Corporation (Caasd) built a French drainage system to solve the water stagnation situation generated by the rains. Sidewalks and curbs around the park were also rebuilt. The Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) paved the park and its surroundings.
A park with inclusive areas
The works included the creation of a children’s area with anti-corrosive materials to prevent deterioration due to saltpeter, with games appropriate for different ages and abilities. An outdoor gymnasium area was built for calisthenics, as well as abstract and sports murals to beautify the environment.
The park was upgraded to provide easy access for people with disabilities, new pedestrian entrances with ramps were created, and the entire grounds were leveled for the convenience of users with reduced mobility.
In addition, the existing fence was replaced with a new eurolux type fence made of block wall and panels for greater security. A 420-meter walking track was created around the interior of the park. Similarly, 200 square meters of internal paths were created in stamped concrete and the gazebo was refurbished.
The basketball and volleyball court was restructured, and restrooms and an office space for the park’s support personnel were built.
General pruning of the existing trees was also carried out, green areas and concrete bench planters were created, with ornamental elements such as natural stones of various colors, and picnic tables with 100% recycled benches and clean points for sorting garbage were installed.
The ceremony was attended by the President of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos; the Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascensión, and the Minister of Housing, Carlos Bonilla; the Vice-Minister of Social and Community Management of the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency, Juan Garrigó; the Senator of the National District, Faride Raful, and the Director of National Assets, Rafael Burgos.
Also, the head of the General Directorate of Traffic Safety and Land Transportation (Digesett), General Ramón Antonio Guzmán Peralta; the president of the Presidential Commission for Neighborhood Development, Rolfi Rojas; the general manager of Edesur Dominicana, Milton Morrison; the general director of Caasd, Felipe Suberví; the aldermen of the National District City Hall and the athlete Marileidy Paulino, double Olympic medalist, world champion and ambassador of the Popular brand.
Source: presidencia.gov.do
