Regeneration project for the Sta. Elena Ecological Park begins.
A new tourist attraction, with an investment of approximately 2.4 million dollars, is what the Sixto Duran Ballén Ecological Park Regeneration Project hopes to create; a project that began with the symbolic event of the laying of the First Stone on November 1st, in front of a large participation of citizens.
The work, which begins after the Park has been operating with its current facilities for 13 years since 1998, is expected to be ready within a year and will be controlled by the Municipal Tourism Company of Santa Elena.
The project involves the complete remodeling of the park and will include sports and recreational areas, with swimming pools, slides, synthetic courts; a dining area, implementation of green areas, administrative offices, bathrooms, changing rooms, and an animal care area.
With this work, it is hoped to boost the number of local, national and foreign tourists visiting the Ecological Park of Santa Elena and thus turn it into a tourist alternative with its consequent development effects. Mr. Antonio Laínez stated that "the importance in the short and medium term will come with the opening of new sources of work in the sectors related to the Park and the subsequent revitalization of the economy through tourism."
For her part, one of the attendees at the event, Narcisa Coronel, said that she "hopes that the care and treatment given to the animals in the new facilities will be better than what has been seen until now, considering that some are chained or in very small cages; it will be very nice to be able to teach our children but with well-cared-for animals" she concluded.
The animal area will be complemented by existing animals from different zoos in the country, and among the new species will be anteaters and peacocks.
The Municipal Tourism Company will continue to manage the Park once the work is completed.
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