Valterra, the neighborhood of seafaring origin that emerged with the construction of 200 social houses for coastal residents in the 1950s of the 15th century, will see the first trees sprout this coming winter, planted in the square where the 10 housing groups converge.
More than 50 years have passed, and shaded areas will finally arrive in this plaza, a few steps from the Valterra Health Center, where the old Casa del Mar was located. The Municipal Government, as part of its plan to increase green areas in the municipality, is carrying out work to provide this plaza with an irrigation system and tree pits.
Before the plaza, this place was crossed by Gobernador García Hernández street, which was used by trucks to transport sardines from the nearby ‘Porto Naos’ to the old Ojeda and Garavilla canneries, spaces that are currently occupied by a shopping center and a hypermarket.
The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, and the second deputy mayor and councilor for Parks and Gardens, Roberto Herbón, have visited the works in this enclave of Valterra, which are being carried out directly by the Department of Parks.
Before proceeding with the transplanting of flamboyant trees, the new automatic irrigation system is being installed, as well as the placement of tree pits more than a meter deep, to guide the roots of the trees towards the subsoil, and prevent the trees from damaging the pavement of the square as they grow.
Roberto Herbón confirmed that the City Council is working on several similar projects to provide vegetation and sizable trees in other areas of Arrecife, with the aim of turning Arrecife into a "more sustainable city with shaded spaces."
For his part, Mayor Yonathan de León stated that the Department of Public Works will also repave the five streets that make up the social housing in the Valterra neighborhood during this coming winter, as part of the Municipal Repaving Plan launched during this term. The mayor recalls that "this repaving for Valterra comes after almost 30 years without improvements to its streets."
