HarryB Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Chapala has received a tourism grant to paint unsightly properties where the owners are too poor to attend to them themselves. If you know of such a location,send me a message with the address and I will try to have the address added to the list. Houses will be painted in traditional mexican colors at no cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Berca Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Is this for Chapala only as is most everything else that is improved in the municipio? Or is there some small hope that other communities within its borders might also be included, since you wrote that Chapala received the grant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanson Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Cobble-stone streets are being repaired in Ajijic. The street Juarez in upper Ajijic and a cross street are being repaired by a crew of several workers at the moment. I do not know how many other streets have been or will be repaired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mexart Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 I love this idea, bright colors will give this part time tourist town a real photogenic look.....eversince the boats were changed from multi colored to a bland blue and white there has been a lack of photographic subjects drenched in color. Hopefully This program will start making Chapala one of those places that shows up in the worldwide photo contests and calendars etc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryB Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 this is a municipal grant covering Poncitlan to Ajijic. There is another grant to work on the streets including Riberas, I am told. Have hope! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 harry what happend w/the sidewalk discussed. the street in front oh pharm guad & hardware store? you can PM if you want. last i heard was they were getting a summons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semalu Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Harry B, I am afraid I cannot share your hope and enthusiasm for such a frivolous gesture. Yes, it will be prettier but its a temporary Mexican patch job all the same. All show and no substance. Not to mention the worst kind of condescension towards a people who are better served by being provided the opportunity to lift themselves out of that kind of poverty. Remember the trees a former governor planted en mass (literally walls of tress) to hide the extreme squalor on display going from the airport to Gdl when they hosted the North American Leaders summit in 2009? The city was on display to the world and the tree planting was a rather feeble if not immoral attempt to hide the appalling conditions resulting from decades of ineffective government. Of course, nearly all the trees died from overcrowding and neglect following the summit and the appalling conditions that motivated the mass plantings remain to this day. I will have hope when government funds are spent on building the foundations for a better future, the most pressing of which are infrastructure projects. Projects that would attract and even promote realistic economic development projects. Such projects might even make the latest grandiose plans for Chapala's waterfront easier to digest and maybe even feasible. Then the people could actually get jobs that allowed themselves to crawl out of the kind of poverty that inspires such empty gestures on the part of their politicians. Not to mention having the dignity to be able to paint their own homes when they choose and whatever color they choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcscats Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Some people can't afford to paint their own damn house Semalu. What a negative nellie! We fixed a dead sidewalk in our neighborhood owned by a poor family and we found no dignity problem. You should just stay away from stuff so it doesn't upset you so much. This is all about painting some houses lakeside not planting trees in Guadalajara. Mexicans do know how to paint. I truly feel sorry for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semalu Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Icscats, either you think its OK for this kind of poverty to exist or you missed the point entirely. I tend to think the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 1 hour ago, lcscats said: Some people can't afford to paint their own damn house Semalu. What a negative nellie! We fixed a dead sidewalk in our neighborhood owned by a poor family and we found no dignity problem. You should just stay away from stuff so it doesn't upset you so much. This is all about painting some houses lakeside not planting trees in Guadalajara. Mexicans do know how to paint. I truly feel sorry for you. Cats: Besides being appallingly condescending, you did miss the point. I often see the government "whitewashing" visual blights when the money could be used to create jobs or solve real problems. For instance: Why not a downtown parking structure to relieve the congestion in Chapala instead of a huge Jesus statue on the lake or the "prettification" of the main intersection? I've got nothing against painting houses that need it, but why not provide the residents the materials and pay them some money to do the job themselves. Sure, some of them might sell the paint and buy beer with the money, but that's life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Berca Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Agree with Gringal 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomas Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 It appears to me that there is no end to the "better way to do it posters".. They continue to shadow any idea based on what they think should be done..while they sit on their as- all day at their computer trying to show the board readers how cleaver and political correct their positions are as opposed to really accomplishing anything of meaningful merit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 the paint project sounds nice & would make it a prettier place. i agree that there are more important things, but this is what they are willing to pay for. if ssomeone wanted to paint my house for free i would be really happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryB Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 the grant was available, they took it. It will help poor people, make the place look better and provide jobs for workers. I applaud them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 56 minutes ago, Tomas said: It appears to me that there is no end to the "better way to do it posters".. They continue to shadow any idea based on what they think should be done..while they sit on their as- all day at their computer trying to show the board readers how cleaver and political correct their positions are as opposed to really accomplishing anything of meaningful merit. Do you actually have any evidence that people are "sitting on their as-all day" etc., or do you just object to any ideas that you don't agree with? I'm under the impression that the purpose of having an open forum is that everyone can express opinions for or against what's going on without being insulted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Yes it will provide a nice facelift and that will make everyone feel better and maybe give ideas to ppeople who can afford the paint but do not want to spend the money or time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 paint & make it nice! good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semalu Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 48 minutes ago, Tomas said: It appears to me that there is no end to the "better way to do it posters".. They continue to shadow any idea based on what they think should be done..while they sit on their as- all day at their computer trying to show the board readers how cleaver and political correct their positions are as opposed to really accomplishing anything of meaningful merit. LOL, Seems I struck a nerve with my comment. As it happens, I enjoy using this board as a diversion from my work. Its a means to relax and, like you, an opportunity to express my own opinion or vent my frustration on issues such as this one that have disappointed me. Mexico is an amazing place with so much opportunity available. To sit by and watch that opportunity being squandered is simply not an option for me. You are of course free to express your own opinion. When not relaxing, I continue to work on infrastructure projects in Mexico that are bringing some very real and much needed socioeconomic changes including long term employment, education, and health care to areas that have not previously enjoyed such basic services. I am sure you too work or volunteer on similar endeavors when not commenting on this board? Sorry to shake you Harry B. Yes the paint will indeed be pretty, as I said in my first post, but you and I both know what this is and that a lot more effective things can be done that would have a lasting effect. I can't imagine anyone reading this board who does not want sustainable relief to the kind of poverty we witness here daily, and that has existed for so long without an effective government response. The community here has done and is doing more than its part to help with all the worthwhile projects and charities they have going to assist those in need, they are the ones I applaud. You may also want to consider that while those too poor to afford paint may enjoy the new paint, they might prefer the dignity of steady jobs better? Maybe then they could choose for themselves what to paint, when and what color and be able to pay for it themselves without having to ask for a handout. I don't much like the color of some of my neighbors homes. Does this precedent mean I can go over and paint their house a color I find more appealing? I can't imagine too many readers would like that very much.. You do a good job in this community Harry, This rant is not directed at you personally, but maybe let your people know the backlash this gesture is provoking. By all means paint houses, kiss babies, or hand out food canasta's (preferably not those caduco ones); but given the platform this governor ran on, I for one also expect more effective government than mere paint cans in traditional Mexican colors. By the way, off topic, but does the term "traditional Mexican colors" mean this town will now be painted red, white and green? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moderator-2 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Let's avoid getting personal here, please. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Everyone here knows I am no fan of the Chapala government. However if I read this thread correctly, this program is coming from a higher level of government and they are just taking advantage of it to get some local visual improvement. If that is so, it would seem to me that the local level is not where the merits of this program can be debated to any effect. Assuming it is coming from the state level, that would seem to be where the comments and opinions should be directed. I certainly share the sentiments of others who have noticed that the rest of the municipio usually gets the short end of the stick when it comes to the Chapala government and also they seem to be very talented at big showy projects like statues in the lake while seemingly unable to competently provide basic services like street repair and cleaning, and more recently for some of us, even picking up the trash. Finally I want to thank Harry again for sharing information like this and hope that we will all remember that shooting the messenger is not constructive or condoned on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 You see here is another example how some leadership on the environmental front could go a long, long ways. If you buy inexpensive exterior latex paint, you are buying a technically inferior product, which in a few years will start to flake off the walls, looking worse than it was in the first place. Europeans having been using mineral paints for well over one hundred years. These are made from potassium silicate (water glass, liquified silica sand) and oxide pigments (which do not fade). These ingredients are extremely inexpensive, which is why companies who make these paints, and lime paints, have difficulty getting them to market. The mineral paint lasts many times longer than the lime paint. They have no fumes, are fireproof, and allow masonry to breathe (very important). When they age, they look like faded denim, truly beautiful in different lights. Chapala could easily become known for this paint and finish, possibly sending crews out all over North America. In the U.S. and Canada many developments, and even private homes, must follow LEED guidelines for new construction. The "green" products offset the use non-green products. Painting new stucco with mineral paint would give you a lot of credits. I could share more of this privately if you want. I have mixed gallons of the stuff - it is a truly amazing paint. It deserves to be everywhere. http://reviews.houseinprogress.net/archives/001088.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Other towns have been painted, some like San Cristobal de las Casas use lime pain which are a waste of time in our climate others like Campeche did a beautiful painting job. I do not know what paint there used but they did a fabulous job. maybe Chapala will do the same and maybe not but we cannot assume they will do a bad job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennie2 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 everyone does the "shouldshould" game. they should they should. this is what they are offering. as for mexican colors, those are usually light pastels. when ajijic got shabby in '05, that changed overnight. the paint they bought was supposed to be mixed w/white. instead they used it straight. everyone wanted a macdonalds/kentucky fried chicken kind of day glo color. instead of faded yellow it was industrial yellow. (its cheaper that way as well). even the business cards looked like that. kind of goes w/the mood of the wires, cable boxes, dayglo sneakers. who knows what this will look like? it could be billboard cheesy rather than nature organic colors. maybe like ISHOP? i dont agree w/semalu on most things, but he has a point about the colors. they could choose "municipal" style public institution colors. plastic, walmart, fastfood are the kind of decor they know. sorry for the negative, just observing what i have seen. hope im proven wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcscats Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 22 hours ago, Semalu said: Icscats, either you think its OK for this kind of poverty to exist or you missed the point entirely. I tend to think the latter. No you put words in my mouth. Paint is cheap, Labor is already paid for. Sorry but eliminating poverty in Mexico is beyond our means for this kind of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the walkers Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 23 hours ago, Semalu said: Icscats, either you think its OK for this kind of poverty to exist or you missed the point entirely. I tend to think the latter. lcscats has done more for every neighborhood he's lived in than anyone else we've known. he puts his money and efforts where they will do the most good. he also realizes that he can't solve every problem. he was one of the forces behind the repainting of homes on zaragosa , their beauty and whimsy increased the pride of these neighbors in their barrio. take a look next time you ride the bus through ajijic, it's the first block after it turns.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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