BOMBEROS TO THE RESCUE: What goes around, comes around

Last Monday, Amapas residents got to see our friends the Bomberos – the uniformed guys from Proteccion Civil – in action…twice!  Residents of Las Moradas, at the end of Gardenias, almost couldn’t get to their homes when mud, rocks and debris overwhelmed the drainage system and piled up on the street.

ANA’s Administrator made the call.  And, in short order, a road crew showed up to clear the street and restore access.
The same afternoon, a water truck lost its brakes, and took out a stone wall, large tree, and the neighbors’ newly installed fiber optic Telmex line with it, as it rolled over onto Callejon de la Igualdad.  The Callejon was completely blocked by the overturned truck and a mound of debris.

Police and Bomberos were quickly on the scene, seeing to the rescue of the driver, who was taken to a local hospital for a checkup. They emptied the truck’s diesel fuel and cargo, and towed the truck.  Next  morning, a Bomberos survey team arrived to assess damage to the street and needed repairs.

As we know, things don’t always happen quickly here, and the rapid response in both cases may be partly due to the good relations ANA has worked to foster with Police and Bomberos.  It also might have something to do with the generosity of ANA members and neighbors who donated over $10,000 USD to furnish and equip the Bomberos ‘Casita’ just south of us on Highway 200.

Thanks to our friends the police and Bomberos for being there when we needed them!

At publication time, our Administrator is working with Proteccion Civil, Obras Publicas, and affected neighbors to get the streets completely cleaned, and the clogged drain cleared to reduce the likelihood of future backups on Gardenias.

LOS PINOS STREET REPAIR

If you live in Horizon, Terrazas Del Mar or La Cima III, you may have noticed the new cement curb on your way up Los Pinos – now painted warning yellow – with a ‘No Parking’ sign embedded in it.

With City Hall and the owner of the property where erosion is undermining the pavement locked in a finger-pointing contest about who is responsible to repair this dangerous condition.ANA worked with Proteccion Civil and Obras Publicas to get the curb installed to prevent further erosion from the summer rains while we continue to work for a safer and more permanent solution.

Meanwhile, parking on the undermined pavement is potentially dangerous – to both the street and the illegally parked vehicle.  If you see cars parked in front of our new curb and ‘No Parking’ sign, note the details – make, model and color, license plate – and call, or ask your Administrator to call, Transito at 322-22-680 82.  They will ticket and/or tow illegally parked vehicles.

PULPITO DRAG DERBY 2016 FINANCIAL REPORT

This year’s Pulpito Drag Derby was held on Thursday, May 26, kicking off Vallarta Pride’s climactic weekend of parties, parades and events, and doubling attendance from the previous year.

Volunteers helped backstage, ran our seven crazy Challenges, and sold T-shirts, beer, water, and bets on who would be the $5,000 peso First Prize winner.

Our expenses, itemized below, including a $5,000 peso donation to local charity S.E.T.A.C., totaled $96,201.20 pesos.  Income, including sponsorships for the overall event, Challenges, and individual Drag Contestants, totaled $149,070 pesos, leaving us with a net profit of $52,868.80.

A heartfelt thank-you to our volunteers, and for your participation and support!

See you at next year’s Pulpito Drag Derby –

The Pulpito Drag Derby 2016 Organizing Committee

 EXPENSES

Stage, Talent and Meetings:             $  5,924.00

Equipment Purchases & Rentals:    $19,011.00

Manager & Labor:                              $  8,800.00

T-Shirt Purchase:                                $14,000.00

Challenges & Props:                          $10,961.00

Posters & Advertising:                      $  2,200.00

Beverage Costs:                                 $  5,955.20

Prizes & Awards:                                $24,350.00

S.E.T.A.C. Contribution:                     $  5,000.00

TOTAL EXPENSES:                  $96,201.20 PESOS

 INCOME

Sponsorships:                                  $80,000.00

Drink & T-Shirt Sales:                     $32,070.00

Bet Sales:                                         $37,000.00

TOTAL INCOME:                            $149,070.00 PESOS

NET PROFIT:                                   $52,868.80 PESOS

 

Hortensias Repaving Report

Hello, and thanks for your contribution to ANA’s Hortensias Repaving Project!
Thanks to you, ANA met our $200,000 peso goal to pay for materials and supervision for constructing a pair of grooved cement tracks from the highway intersection, up to the fork in the road just below La Cima I, where it connects with Gardenias.
As we reported in recent eNewsletters, collecting the funds was Step One.  We hoped that the City would be able to start work before the summer rains, but that didn’t happen.  ANA has been working with Obras Publicas to schedule what they tell us is a very ambitious and logistically complicated project.  But Amapas isn’t the only colonia on the City’s To-Do list, so we have to compete with our neighbors, and be patient, but persistent.
As those of you in town now know, we’ve been having regular summer downpours.  While the thunder-and-lightning shows have been entertaining, they’re not good for outdoor cement-work, never mind digging up a steep hillside road that has been turning into a storm-drain on an almost daily basis.
While we’re waiting out the Weather Man…

ANA, in the form of our Administrator, Viviana Teston, has been working steadily to keep our project front-and-center at City Hall.

In June,because of concern about the time passing by, ANA wrote officially to Mayor Davalos himself, informing him of the project, that our members have put up the money, and requesting his personal approval and support.

We’re pleased to report that our letter spurred conversations between the Mayor and the Director of Obras Publicas, with Mayor Davalos giving our project his support.

That’s a very big deal, but not quite the ‘magic wand’ we’d like it to be.  So we’re continuing to press for a specific start-date, and have requested an in-person meeting with Mayor Davalos to keep a spotlight on Hortensias.

As we hope you know, your Neighborhood Association has many other irons in the fire – check out our next eNewsletter for details – but Hortensias Repaving is our first priority, and we’ll keep you posted periodically on our progress.

If you have questions or suggestions, please email us at info@amapaspv.com.

Thanks for your continued patience and support, for both the repaving and ANA –

Your ANA Board