By Angel Nuñez
Really And truly, there are no roads in San Pedro. They all fall, up to now, within the town boundaries, therefore they are technically streets, not roads. But in San Pedro, as soon as the thoroughfare goes past the Ramon’s vicinity, we call it a road. The same was true as soon as you past the San Pedro High area, we used to call it a road. Now it is after the bridge.
So what’s the story about roads? It is the same today as it used to be twenty five years ago. The first road was carved out by vehicular traffic. Drivers simple found a clear path where they could drive and constant use made it look like a road, or pathway. Right after Maya Airways on the airstrip, the road took a left towards the beach and by the time you passed Ramon’s the road went along right on the beach, just twenty feet away from the shore waves. This went all the way to about Victoria House.
Like today, as development took place along the area either resorts or private dwellings, property owners used to divert the road towards the west or towards the back so that it would pass behind their properties. At times this sent the road right into marshy land and the drivers would collaborate by dumping some white sand into the low lying areas. The sand came from some property along the coastline. Don Severito Guerrero I (the dentist’s great grandfather) who lived at La Ensenada, used to donate a lot of sand for the building up of roads as well as for the foundation of the first Lions Clinic.
All of this was understandable and tolerable because the road used to cross through their private property. What was not tolerated was when some residents down south used to attempt to block the beach so that pedestrians would not cross in front of their properties. I say they attempted but did not succeed because Sanpedranos knew their rights concerning right of way which is 66 feet from the seashore and they would go and literally tear down the wood fences. And then they parked right there to enjoy the beach and some drinks as well as their victory. Finally they learned that to enjoy La Isla Bonita, they had to collaborate with the Islanders.
It was after township in 1984 that the San Pedro Town Board set out to declare a road down south by dialoguing with property owners. Some volunteered to donate their piece of land while others sold it and government had to compensate them the value of the property. When this occurred and it was official, then electric lines and water and sewer lines were finally installed.
The road up north took much longer because of the river. But when the bridge was built, then a road was only natural to follow. Electrical poles are up, so I assume some of it is an official road. Other parts of properties might need to be acquired because government has the right to acquire for public domain. Now taxis can travel without being diverted towards the lagoon, and hopefully soon we will all be able to enjoy our roads, which indeed are streets within the boundaries of our municipality. San Pedro has also proven that you do not need asphalt or black tar to make a road. You can use it with sand or better yet cobblestones. In the meantime happy sailing, and I do not mean rushing at full speed by taxi drivers.
25 Years Ago Books Can Be Purchased At:
-Ambergris Today -Lala’s Store -Chico’s Meat Shop -Pampered Paws -Ambergris Jade -San Pedro BTB Office -Aquarious Salon (Kim) -S.P. Town Library -Di Bush -Richies Stationery -San Pedrano’s Stationery
Contact the Author at: nunez_nest@yahoo.com
