By Angel Nuñez
The expansion of San Pedro Town core into the Boca Del Rio Area may be described as expansion Number One. As the roads were cleared and delineated, light posts and electrification were next and with that San Pedro residents started constructing in the area. George and Tanta Eiley were the very first ones to build in what people called the bush. San Pedro High did not come into the picture until 1981 and was completed in 1987. Growth was not an overnight thing. It took quite a lot of planning and hard work along with patience. The Lands Committee of San Pedro took charge of issuing lots and clearing for streets. Soon that section marked as Section A looked like one continuous part of the town.
In due time there was need for more land for the residents to build their homes. Look at that section marked as Section B on the aerial shot of San Pedro Village. That mangrove infested and marshland was the obvious area for needed expansion. Unfortunately there had been a change in the municipal leadership of San Pedro and cheap political campaign had begun. I will not mention the political party for fear of this article being labeled as political, but it was a political party which encouraged people, anybody who expressed an interest in land, to simply go there and clear a lot and build a home.
Needless to say, San Juan Area did not have as positive an impact like Boca Del Rio. There small wooden homes built partly on the streets. There were light posts improperly demarcated. The place grew haphazardly and brought about a lot of problems and challenges. The streets were in terrible conditions (some of them up until today), the lots collected a lot of water whenever it rained, and the worst part is that there was no water and sewerage and the flushing of toilets was directly into the wetlands which had no seepage capacity. (still don’t) Others have even tried secretly flushing their toilets directly into the canal or river. It was one dirty stinky situation physically and administratively.
San Juan has expanded gradually from the main road separating it from Boca Del Rio all the way to the lagoon and the canal which is called the river. Today there are over one hundred homes, stores, bars, meat shop, even churches. There are even some areas which the people and the police call “Hot Spots”. It is a place worthy of being called home, but an area that could have taken more serious and considerate planning. Oh yes, one can build an apartment complex for business but certainly not a hotel or condominium complex as it happened in Boca Del Rio. You take a careful look at Section B in the old photo and the same area in the more recent photo and you can appreciate the vast expansion of Subdivision Number 2.
25 Years Ago Books Can Be Purchased At:
-Ambergris Today Online Newspaper -Jose Luis Zapata Photography –Richie’s Stationery -Lala’s Store -Pampered Paws -San Pedro BTB Office -S.P. Town Library -Di Bush, A & R
Contact the Author at: nunez_nest@yahoo.com
