According to Google Translate, the "Recuperation of the Urban Image" |
I was so surprised that I circled the entire Plaza to see if I could figure out what was going on. In a few spots I was able to get a peak inside, and the security guard at the site actually smiled when he saw my face pop through a gap in the fence (rather than yelling at me to go away).
According to El Diario de Yucatan, the renovation of the Plaza will take several weeks, and is expected to be completed sometime in December and in time for the City's anniversary on January 6. There will be 672 new architectural light fixtures, 158 benches, and "reforestation," although the existing trees and plants will remain. The El Diario story is here: La Plaza, Un Mes Cerrada The beautiful portal at the small park in front of Sta. Lucia (that I have somehow managed to never photograph despite having documented every pigeon, pasta tile and palm tree for twenty blocks in any direction from there) has also been covered over since we were here in July. I hope that this too is a sign of ongoing restoration.
In each of our trips here over the last 18 months, we have seen ongoing evidence of the City's investment in restoration, and the work shows. We are looking forward to sitting quietly under the trees in the renovated (or "recuperated") Plaza Grande on our next trip back to Merida, but for now will be perfectly content in the squares at Santiago, Santa Anna, and San Juan.