Frontera NorteSur, September 1999

Cd. Juárez Youth Begin Beautification Project

Youth For Juárez, with the support of the Municipal Department of Social Development, initiated a program in August called "Art Renovation/Renovarte" which will improve the appearance of the many public walls across the city that are currently covered with graffiti. The overall objective of the event is to revitalize the community as well as giving a productive and creative alternative to area graffitists.

According to Daniel Navejas, coordinator of Youth for Juárez, in the early part of August the group solicited the participation of regular graffitists asking them to repaint walls in key places in the city such as the Juárez Market, Chamizal Park and others.

In the last full week of August the participants were to display their work and their contribution to a mural called "Peace." The artists of the three best murals would be awarded at the end of the month with a celebration, some money and a free trip, according to Navejas.

The organization asked that all of the community cooperate by informing them of any areas damaged by graffiti. "In general, the project works to repair some of the damage that has been done, and shows young people that they have a place in society and in the well being of our communities," Navejas said.

Source: El Diario

Political Rivals Agree On Renovation of Avenida Juárez

Chihuahua Governor Patricio Martínez has agreed with Cd. Juárez Mayor Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar that the major commercial and historic area of downtown Juárez needs a facelift. Both have committed half of the financing for the renovation project proposed to city officials early in August by students and professors from the department of architecture at the Universidad Autónomo de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ).

The project consists of restoring up to 165 building facades to their original styles which would bring a consistent look to the once popular area in the historic center of the city. Martínez agreed to fund 50 percent of the nearly million dollar project. "We are supporting this collaboration of the municipal government and the merchants because it will bring pride and beauty to Juárez and to all of the state."

The city's mayor Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar agreed to provide the remaining 50 percent of the project in loans that are interest free for the first year to the merchants. "If the merchants take this opportunity, and I hope that they will, we will be able to make Avenida Juárez, in less than a year, the highlight of the city as it was years ago."

The students behind this project said "It is very important to clean the strip of all the advertising and create new models that won't interfere with the original architecture."

Leopoldo Mares Delgado, secretary of the State Commercial and Tourism Development Department, expressed that business owners from the historic district should "understand the project and be motivated to work individually."

The project was inspired in part by the reduction of tourism to the area over the last few months. The state government has also offered to assist in advertising on the U.S. side to help lure back the U.S. tourists the city has lost.

Additionally, a motivating factor for the merchants is to increase their sales which have decreased recently due to the lack of tourism.

Sources: El Diario