The Santo Domingo East City Council, with the support of the government of President Luis Abinader, inaugurated this Friday “Chencha, open space”, a cultural point for the healthy enjoyment and promotion of the best of Caribbean music and son.
Presidents of neighborhood associations, community leaders, businessmen, councillors, local and national officials and son dancers from different regions of the country, participated, together with the mayor Manuel Jiménez, in the inauguration ceremony of the cultural point located in Calero-Villa Duarte, opposite to the delta of the Ozama River, and under the Matías Ramón Mella (de la Bicicleta) Bridge, on a “riverside” platform that for decades had been dedicated to the deposit of debris and mountains of garbage.
The cultural point has parking lots, bathrooms, permanent security, lighting, sound system, dance platform, fixed platform, ramps for the disabled, gardening, food and beverage outlets, and a privileged view of the sunsets in the delta of the Ozama river, in front of the floating bridge and the colonial zone.
Each week it will have a billboard of activities, with fixed events on Fridays for the dance of son, merengue, bachata and other Caribbean rhythms. The community will also be able to organize events in coordination with the administration, which will be in charge of the renowned cultural manager Chino Méndez.
Leading the opening ceremony, Manuel Jiménez explained that “Chencha open space” joins the works and projects developed by the mayor’s office to build a historical, tourist and cultural polygon in Santo Domingo Este, in the area of constituency 1 that includes the rescued Plaza Juan Pablo Duarte and Avenida Barceló, the Monument to La Caña, Avenida España (in the process of renovation), Los Tres Ojos Park, the Parada de la Cultura, the surroundings of the Columbus Lighthouse, the Hermitage of Rosario ( first church in America), Parque del Este and other areas that in 2023 will be intervened by the council and the Government of President Luis Abinader.
innocence walls
As explained by the mayor, the new cultural point of Santo Domingo Este, bears the name of Chencha in honor of the great son dancer Inocencia Paredes (Chencha), the historic dance partner of Bonyé (José María Guerrero).
Mayor Manuel Jiménez explained that with this name, the contributions of Dominican women to culture and the promotion of national identity are also highlighted.
Recognize prominent figures of Creole art
The platform also has colorful murals by emblematic artists who have been or are residents of Santo Domingo Este and have raised the name of the Dominican Republic on national and international stages, such as Los Hermanos Rosario, Cuco Valoy, Miriam Cruz, Sexapil, Raulín Rosendo, Luisito Martí and the late director and creator of the Music Academy, Alicia Pérez de Tamares, among others.
