by amapaspv | Dec 7, 2016 | News | Noticias
ANA’s membership and neighborhood responsibilities have expanded…and so have we. We’ve outgrown the office (and storage) space provided by Ron Morgan Properties for the past two years – thank you, Ron!
Also, ANA’s many neighborhood improvement projects require more coordination (and begging) at City Hall and outside meetings. So our able Administrator, Viviana Teston, is often away from the office, where she also needs to be available to members.
To maintain our momentum and increase our level of service to Amapas and our members, your Board has hired an Assistant Manager (see below) and rented our own office – 111 Calle Rodolfo Gomez, Office #3 – a glass store-front in Hotel San Marino, across from the Coffee Cup and Barra Light.
This is a big – and necessary – step for ANA.
Once we get settled, we’ll have an official ‘office warming’ – on November 10th, Save the Save the date. In the meantime, we’re open for business 9-5, M-F – come by and visit, pick up your membership card or an updated list of bars, restaurants and businesses offering special benefits to ANA members who show their cards, etc.
by amapaspv | Dec 7, 2016 | News | Noticias, Street
In order to complete the new cement tracks before Christmas, Hortensias will be CLOSED between Villas Loma Linda and Highway 200, from now through next Tuesday, December 13.
Please use ‘the back way’ along Hortensias to Pulpito.
Yesterday, to speed things along, we rented TWO backhoes – one to cut the second track, the other to scoop the cobbles and broken concrete out of it.
The two machines – working alongside our Obras Publicas crew – did in one day what would have taken the crew alone several weeks of jack-hammering.
Starting today, we are renting a dump truck and loader to clear away all the cobblestones and debris from the two tracks.
In the run-up to the City’s Christmas break, Obras Publicas support has been, let’s just say, less than optimal. ANA is doing our best to take up the slack and get the work done. We rented the backhoes, truck and loader to save time and reduce noise and inconvenience for our members and neighbors.
THE SCHEDULE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, WE HOPE
Subject to schedule changes from City Hall and more weird weather:
Today, Wednesday, Dec 7: cleaning and forming the new track by hand.
Thursday, Dec 8: two concrete pours & finishing, plus cleaning and forming.
Friday, Dec 9: two concrete pours & finishing, plus cleaning and forming.
Saturday, December 10: two final concrete pours and finishing.
The fresh cement we pour this week will have to cure, so we can’t drive on it — no matter how ‘solid’ it looks – for three more days. Please respect the new cement – and all our hard work – during the curing process.
This week, Hortensias will be completely blocked by the cement truck during the pours. The dump truck and loader will also block the street as they scoop up and take away the old cobblestones.
Our goal is to complete all the concrete pouring on Saturday, and fully reopen Hortensias to traffic on Wednesday morning, December 14, and for the rest of the holidays.
As you probably know, City Hall pretty much shuts down for the last two weeks of the year. Any part of the repaving that hasn’t been finished by the 14th, we’ll resume and complete after New Years.
Thanks, as always, for your patience – some inconvenience is unavoidable, and it’s a short-term annoyance that will produce a long-term benefit for us all.
by amapaspv | Dec 7, 2016 | News | Noticias, Street, Uncategorized
Para terminar con las nuevas huellas de cemento antes de Navidad, la calle Hortensias tendrá que permanecer CERRADA entre Loma Linda y la carretera 200, hasta el día Martes 13 de Diciembre.
Por favor use la vía alterna por la calle Púlpito.
Ayer, aceleramos las cosas al rentar 2 retroexcavadoras, -una que rompa y abra el espacio para la segunda huella de cemento y la otra para recoger y limpiar las piedras y pedazos de concreto para ayudar a preparar el espacio donde se vertebra el cemento.
Las dos máquinas –trabajando lado a lado con el personal de Obras Publicas- hicieron en un día lo que hubiera tomado a los trabajadores y la compresora con martillo neumático varias semanas.
A partir del día de hoy, estamos rentando un volteo y retroexcavadora que limpie el espacio y se lleve el escombro.
En la Carrera a las vacaciones de Navidad, el personal de Obras Publicas ha estado trabajando de acuerdo a sus posibilidades, por lo que la Asoc. de Vecinos de Amapas A.C. ha hecho todo lo posible para apoyarlos y lograr sacar el trabajo a tiempo. Esto rentando las retroexcavadoras, los volteos, que además de todo han reducido el ruido y las molestias para nuestros miembros y vecinos.
El plan de trabajo esperado para el resto de la semana.
Plan sujeto a cambios por el ayuntamiento y el clima cambiante (lluvia)
Hoy, Miércoles 7 de Diciembre: limpieza y preparación para la nueva huella de cemento a mano.
Jueves, 8 de diciembre: 2 trompos de cemento, rallado de huellas y terminación. Incluyendo limpieza y forma
Viernes, 9 de Diciembre: otros 2 trompos de cemento, rallado de huellas y terminación, incluyendo limpieza y forma
Sábado, 10 de Diciembre: Último tramo de Cemento y terminado.
El Cemento fresco que estaremos vertiendo esa semana necesita fraguarse, así que no se puede usar, no importa que tan sólido se vea, -por al menos 3 días más. Por favor ayúdennos respetando el paso –y todo nuestro trabajo duro- durante el tiempo de fraguado.
Esta semana, Hortensias estará totalmente bloqueado con los trompos de cemento. Además del volteo y la retroexcavadora llevándose el escombro.
Nuestra meta es completar las huellas el Sábado para así reabrir al tráfico el Miércoles 14 de Diciembre para el resto de las festividades navideñas.
Como probablemente lo sepan, el ayuntamiento cierra por vacaciones las dos últimas semanas del año, y si algo como parte del pavimentado no quede terminado antes del 14 de Diciembre, tendremos que esperar a terminarlo para después de año Nuevo.
Gracias como siempre por su paciencia –algunos inconvenientes son necesarios y puede ser molesto por un corto tiempo pero estamos trabajando en un beneficio a largo plazo para todos nosotros.
by amapaspv | Dec 1, 2016 | Financial, News | Noticias, Street
Calle Hortensias was a mess. Sometimes described as ‘a collection of potholes held together by a bunch of cobblestones,’ the steep and narrow street leading up from Highway 200 was a rough ride, even on the best of days.
The big gas and water trucks that regularly trundled up the hill just made things worse, their weight taking its toll, their heavy tires cracking the cement and spitting out loose cobbles.
And once one cobble came loose, more quickly followed, quickly creating craters in the road – hard to avoid, especially with oncoming traffic.
The neighborhood association’s Pothole Patrol spent thousands of pesos every year in patching and repairs, but it was a losing ‘uphill battle.’
The street continued to crumble. Something had to be done.
But Puerto Vallarta has many colonias with bigger problems than Amapas, and many streets in more desperate need of repair.
What to do? How long would we have to wait for help?
So the Amapas Neighborhood Association came up with a plan.
We got in touch with City Hall – the Department of Public Works. Their engineers, accompanied by ANA representatives, surveyed the street and determined that installing two grooved cement tracks in the existing cobblestone pavement would be the most practical and affordable solution to Hortensias’ continued unraveling. Then they worked out a budget: labor, equipment, materials.
Fortunately ANA had developed an informal partnership with Obras Publicas: On select public works projects, they would provide manpower and machinery, and ANA (and sometimes our most affected neighbors) would pay for construction materials. It usually worked out to a 50-50 split, producing a repaired bridge, an improved street, or renewed highway lighting that would never have happened without our public-private partnership.
So we had a tested and successful informal partnership with Obras Publicas and a ‘cost-sharing’ forumula in place. But repaving lower Hortensias would be the most ambitious project ANA – or any Vallarta neighborhood association – had ever attempted.
And now we needed money – lots of it.
Based on the City budget, we figured that we needed at least $200,000 pesos to make this project go.
No way the ANA treasury could finance such a big effort while ‘holding the line’ on annual dues.
But asking neighbors to who didn’t depend on Hortensias – people who lived on Los Pinos, or on the other side of the highway, for example – to chip in on the Hortensias Repaving Project didn’t seem fair, either.
In March, the ANA Board sent out emails to all our individual members and Full Member Buildings – only on Gardenias and Hortensias (as far as the Selvamar bridge), explaining our plan and asking for voluntary contributions.
We promised that if we didn’t receive at least $200,000 pesos in contributions, all money would be cheerfully refunded.
ANA was impressed and relieved by our Hortensias and Gardenias neighbors’ response. By the end of April, we had received what we knew we would need…and a little more, which gave us a welcome ‘cushion’ in case we encountered unanticipated problems during the repaving project.
Hoping we could get the repaving accomplished before the summer rains, ANA wrote to Mayor Davalos and Obras Publicas, officially informing them that we had the needed funds in hand, and were ready to go forward with the project as soon as they were.
What happened next? Stay tuned for Chapter 2 in our continuing saga.
by amapaspv | Nov 26, 2016 | Events
PUERTO VALLARTA Nov 26, 2016: Taste Restaurant at Casa Cupula is pleased to announce that it will host the 2nd Annual Amapas Neighborhood Association Dinner Dance “Homecoming” Thursday, December 1, 2016.
The annual Dinner Dance is already the social event of the season for members of the ANA and friends. This year’s theme is “Homecoming”, recognizing that the ANA is welcoming back many part-year residents from the US and Canada for the winter season.
“Last year’s inaugural Dinner Dance was successful beyond our greatest expectations,” said Robin Spencer, ANA’s Events Manager and Board Member. “This year’s guests will be treated to a four course dinner with dessert, welcome drink, wine and hors d’oeuvres prepared by Taste’s amazing chefs. Musical entertainment will be by the amazing Paul Fracassi. We’ll also have a DJ so there will be dancing all night”.
Taste’s Creative Mexican Cuisine will begin with a Cupula Salad and Cream of Poblano Soup, and includes a choice of Chile en Nogada or Lamb Mixiote as the main course, with a platter of Huitlacoche Risotto. A dessert sampler platter will top off the experience which is being provided at cost to the ANA by Taste.
A cruise aboard the party boat “Tequila Sunrise” with catered lunch by Robin Spencer will be auctioned off to benefit the ANA. Everyone attending will receive corsages and boutonnieres by Flowers to Go, as well as a gift bag with great prizes. Each individual or couple attending will be professionally photographed by Josef Kandoll Wepplo at the event’s “Step and Repeat”.
The Amapas Neighborhood Association is one of Puerto Vallarta’s largest and most active neighborhood associations. With over 400 members, the Association’s goal is to improve the quality of life in Amapas, focusing on security, infrastructure, responsible development and member social events. “This year we took on our largest project ever, to repave a major section of Calle Hortencias, now in process,” said Tom Swale, ANA’s President. “We just opened a new office at 111-3 Rodolfo Gomez to better serve our members, and provide space for our many meetings with city officials.”
Tickets are a $1,900.00 peso donation, and include everything – even tax and tip!
Tickets are available at the ANA Office during business hours, or by paypal. just click the “button” below:
Out of town members who cannot make the event are encouraged to donate to the ANA at www.gofundme.com/ANADinnerDance2 With the event provided at cost by Taste, the ANA expects to raise over $70,000 pesos from the Dinner Dance. All proceeds will be used by the ANA to further its work. The ANA expects a sellout crowd again this year, so book tickets soon.
Taste Restaurant’s recent renovations include air conditioning and a new awning to allow for a lovely dining experience rain or shine. With large indoor and outdoor video screens, the restaurant hosts intimate private dinners and large events.
Taste Restaurant is located at Casa Cupula boutique hotel, and is open for dinner serving Creative Mexican Cuisine from 6pm-11pm Wednesday to Saturday. Breakfast and lunch are available from 9am-5pm under the direction of Chef Cesar Bajaras. Casa Cupula’s legendary Sunday Mimosa brunch is open to the public from 10am to 2pm.
Hours: Monday-Saturday Breakfast & Lunch 9-5
Dinner Wednesday-Saturday 6-11
Sunday brunch 10am-2pm, Sunday Pool Party 2-6pm
322-223-2484 x151 or taste@casacupula.com
Visit Taste at www.taste.com.mx for more information and online reservations.
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