“Having Your Parking Cake & Eating It Too!”

It seems that most public works projects come with associated problems. In the  USA we hear of some cities using Eminent Domain laws to take people’s homes away from them (For just compensation of course.) to make way for a new Shopping Center.

And, often times public works projects are well meaning, but turn out not to be well thought out. 

Well, It appears to me that the Chapala Government is about to hit at least a 3 base hit, if not a home run.

Have you heard about the new plan for an underground parking facility for downtown Chapala near the Malecon?

It’s never really easy to find a place to park in Chapala in July 2008 when I’m writing this article and I’m glad that the local government has not opted for meters which always seemed to me that I was paying for something I had already paid for.

Large sprawling parking lots tend to be ugly and not  very convenient to where you’re trying to go after parking, but the Chapala government seems to have done it’s homework once again and has come up with a way to “Have Our Parking Cake” (A large convenient attractive safe parking facility) and “Eat It Too” (We can use it without using it up and without spoiling the view of our Lakefront in downtown Chapala.)

The new parking garage already has the go ahead from the Chapala Council and is planned to be built underground along the length of Paseo Ramon Carona which runs East from the Chapala Pier.

The proposed new lot will have spaces for 525 cars. This certainly will bring more tourists to the area and help the local merchants which are all welcome.

The icing on the parking lot cake is that above the underground structure a pedestrian only esplanade with green areas planned in along the areas adjacent to the souvenir and food vendor stalls.

Ezequiel Lopez, head of the city’s Social Development office, is reported to have told a local newspaper that the project would be funded and operated under concession by Jalisco’s state pensions agency.

He estimates a six- to eight-month time frame for construction, with a start date in September or October.

Apparently the local area property owners are very happy with the project’s announcement.

There is some concern that the new structure could be vulnerable to unwanted water seeping in during rainy season downpours, but we can hope that a project of this size and cost will address these concerns adequately.