The new urban park in Puerto Rico was officially inaugurated this week on Monday 4th of March. The new leisure area is located on Calle Madrid in the neighbourhood known as Motor Grande, easily found just under the main motorway bridge. Residents and visitors are now welcome enjoy the facilities in which the City of Mogán has invested a reported total of around €1.3 million.
The new park stands on a plot of 10,100 square meters and includes various public exercise machines, green spaces, shaded areas, sports areas to practice football and basketball, children’s games , toilets including those adapted for people with reduced mobility. The park is also to feature a social area, a small refreshments area as well as something new to Puerto Rico, an official dog exercising area, which from next week will also include some agility obstacles.
The installation, designed by a local architect David Torres, has two entrances, one from the valley area of Puerto Rico and another from the residential neighbourhood of Motor Grande, as well as facilities such as parking areas and good road access.
Some of you may have wondered why on earth that area of Puerto Rico is known as Motor Grande. Well the fact is that long before tourism came to this part of the island, the area was used to plant tomatoes, for some of the biggest exporters in The Canary Islands, primarily English business men trading with Covent Garden market and the like, based here in Las Palmas.
In the park an old engine has been placed, this was highlighted by the mayor as a symbol of this particular neighbourhood, and was donated by Cortadores de Puerto Rico S.L. The Ruston engine made in Lincoln England, one of two brought to the area, was first installed in 1906 to pump water from the main wells dug here to provide irrigation to these tomato farms, and in many ways represents the true beginnings of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. See more info in the next Print Edition of The Canary, due out March 15.
The current mayor of Mogán, Onalia Bueno took the opportunity to point out that there were similar spaces being planned for Arguineguín and Pueble de Mogán in the near future.
