Tourism Ministry takes over San Francisco ruins restoration project
Tourism Ministry takes over San Francisco ruins restoration project Santo Domingo.- Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García has taken personal charge of the project to restore and adapt the Ruins of the San Francisco Convent in Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone. In its early stages, this proposal was met with widespread rejection. Maribel Villalona, director of Tourism Promotion for the Colonial City, a program that consists of a series of projects in the first city in the New World, said that the Ministry was managing the “Project for Restoration and Conservation of the Ruins of San Francisco”. Since the project was first announced, architect Villalona has faced criticism from civil society, including bodies like the International Council for Monuments and Sites, the Dominican Republic Academy of Sciences and the National District Council. Villalona said that the ministry had decided to take on the project «due to the variables involved that exceed the technical considerations.» When asked about the process of dialogue between the ministry of Tourism and the sectors involved in the colonial-era structure, and the Colonial Zone in general, which has been declared a world heritage site, she said that the results of the forum were being processed. “It appears that everyone is awaiting the next step. The Tourism Ministry, up until recently, was waiting for opinions,” she stated. According to Villalona, during the debate on the feasibility of restoring the Ruins of San Francisco, each university has presented a different proposal, which has made it even more interesting. She added that the process would take time. The architectural design presented by Rafael Moneo has not been welcomed by some sectors, which claim that if implemented, it would distort the ruins. DominicanToday.com – Tourism News
Yet another project to clean up, develop Dominican capital´s rivers
Yet another project to clean up, develop Dominican capital´s rivers Santo Domingo.- President Danilo Medina and the Ozama and Isabela rivers recovery commission on Monday said will be build an avenue along both waterways and halt the dumping into their waters of pollutants and trash by companies. The announced project is the latest proposal to clean up and develop the fouled waterways, the most recent an Italian company with even upscale waterfront real estate. National District mayor Roberto Salcedo provided the information after the meeting with the mayors of Greater Santo Domingo and other committee members. He said trees will be planted along the river banks as part of the ambitious project´s objectives. “We have yet to quantify them, but each of these projects to be implemented we obviously have to work on the budget to identify the sources of resources.» He said five community-oriented companies operating on their banks collect 500 tons of trash each day which had been dumped into the two rivers, «and since we now pay 25 dollars per ton they now try to pick it up.» DominicanToday.com – Tourism News