Continuing work in the park:

 

 

This Tuesday March 31, 2009 at 5pm

 

The presidente Municipal will visit the park to inaugurate the building of :

 

Bleachers with storage under neither

Bathroom(s)

A small stage for performances backing onto the canal at the west end of the basketball court

A Paved plaza between the stage and the bathrooms. 

 

There will be no cover over the plaza but that is something we can work on for coming years.

 

Lighting the park

 

We had hoped the park lights would be connected to the public lighting grid but the municipality does not have the funds to undertake a commitment that requires continuing costs.  We have made application to CFE to have the lights connected on a pay as used basis.  The municipality has agreed to allow this.  It is expected that the connection will take about one week. 

We will find a means to raise the funds to pay for the lights on an on going basis.  The Recycling committee of Los Amigos has agreed to pay for the first two months while we figure out how expensive it will be and how the community wants to use the lit park.  Thanks a bunch!!!

 

If the lights are connected in time the Presidente will be asked to turn them on during his visit.

 

Well the awards ceremony went off without a hitch.

Banda Loca performed with about 20 performers and gave a good showing of their soon to become famous La Koocaracha followed by several encores.  The audience went wild.

The highlight of the evening was Marion and Jeff's light hearted presentation of the nominees.  A short rap segment was especially hilarious.  Jeff and Marion are doing improv again this Monday night at the Xaltemba.  It should be equally hilarious.

The best nomination acceptance speech was given by Vern.  He thanked his mother and then went on to report that he is having to pull back his enthusiasm for recycling a bit. Recent incidences  of him take bottles away from people before they have finished drinking has caused some problems.  He remains totally dedicated but says mothers no longer need to worry that he will be taking bottles away from their kids. 

Other nominees were Roberto and Committee for their herculean beach cleanup effort and Carlos, Luis and Arturo for their work with Ecopark.

The coveted Huarache went to Los Amigos for their  support of Ecopark.

If you haven't already checked out Banda Loca there is a short video of their first practice on the home page. 

Stay tuned for details of the next work day in the park.  This Thursday at 8am.  The president of Compostela municipality is coming to tour the park and I thought it might be as good a time as any to get the backboards and goal posts painted.  I am sure he will be impressed with the work already done but why not over impress him with a good showing of volunteers hard at work.  I went by the park last night as it was getting dark and there were still 40 kids in the park.  We really need to get those lights turned on.

More shortly....Johan

Sunday morning in the park we initiated The Colonia Pescadores Pop Bottle Band (CPPBB) better known as Banda Loca.  This is an enthusiastic group of kids and a few adults (also very enthusiastic) who play instruments made of recycled plastic pop bottles.  The instruments are 100% made from recycled materials.

We built our instruments and proceeded to have the most hilarious band practice I have ever witnessed.

We then visited the homes of each band member and a few neighbors to play our, soon to become famous, rendition of Cookaracha.

We had a great time!!!

The first public performance of Banda Loca will be at the Xaltemba Galleria Restaurant Monday February 9 at 7pm.  Admission FREE.  Don't miss it!!!.

Sunday morning at 10 a.m. we will be forming the Colonia Pescadores Pop Bottle Band (CPPBB) better known to the kids as Banda Loca.  We will be building drums, maracas and bugles out of pop bottles.  The build will be followed by band practice which should be hilarious.  Bring your camera.

It is not a work day for the park.  If you want to cut up a pop bottle and join the band you will be welcome.

If you miss the event Sunday you can catch the bands first ever public performance this Monday night at 6:30 at the Los Amigos meeting at Xaltemba Galleria Restaurant.  They will be the feature entertainment as part of the First Annual Huarache Awards.  I hear a rumour that this will be a lot of fun.

Work carried out Saturday January 31, 2009 included hanging the basketball backboards, the installation of soccer goal posts and additional leveling and hole filling on the fields. We also dug some wells around smaller trees so they can be watered.   We owe a substantial debt of gratitude to Enrique and is staff for all the welding they did for us at no charge. 

Despite a good turnout we did not manage to paint the newly installed equipment.  We will need to do that on the next work day.

The next stage in the development of the park will be the installation of lights. This work was started last Friday Jan 30th.  The bases for the posts are installed.  Carlos with a few helpers also installed the posts necessary to bring electricity onto the property.   Wiring inside the park will all be underground.  Los Amigos is funding the purchase of the necessary hardware and the Municipality has started to install them.

The park committee is planning a cleanup day for January 31. 

We will start at 8 am as usual and go to about 10 or 11 so no one gets too much sun.

The work for the day will include the painting of the back boards which should be back up the third week of January.  We are also trying to have available a new set of goal posts for the soccer field.  They will need to be installed and painted.  Man power permitting we will dig some wells around the smaller trees to retain water and do additional leveling and hole filling on the fields.  Lots of work for everyone.

Come, have fun and get some exercise.

Stay tuned for the next event.