Yesterday morning during a groundbreaking ceremony in the Plazuela Machado, Mayor Carlos Felton spent a significant amount of time thanking YOU, Mazatlán’s foreign resident community, for the investment and contributions you have made and continue to make in the city. He held us up as an example of how to actively engage in civic life, noting how many of us have made efforts that have transformed Mazatlán into a better place for all to live. He spoke about how foreign residents were some of the first, and most vocal, to defend Mazatlán during the years of violence and economic downturn, and how foreign investment has helped to restore many historic homes. He told a story of one expat who, during the city elections, knew all about the issues, and he also spoke at length about our friend Janet Blaser’s most recent editorial in M! Magazine about recent city improvements. Here’s a short video of his speech:
Glen Rogers, local artist and community leader, announced her plans to donate the design for a piece of interactive public art for the Plazuela Machado. Her design is a four-sided bronze chair with a 10-foot-tall back, decorated with cutouts of local flora and fauna. The Mayor said that they will begin looking for sponsors for the art project in the new year. Glen is the woman who started the very successful Art Walk/Camino del Arte ten years ago. In its first decade the Art Walk has grown to not only showcase a broad spectrum of local artistic talent, but also has become a monthly boon to downtown restaurants and cafés. Here’s a short video of Glen talking about her new piece:
Glen Sorrie, owner of Casa de Leyendas B&B, was also on hand and spoke of his and his wife’s experience moving here and opening their business. Mazatlán has a long history of foreign residents and investment; heck, the city was in large part founded by European, North American and Asia-Pacific immigrants during the gold rush days! We are blessed to live in a city in which foreign immigrants have historically been not only welcomed but embraced, and this heritage gratefully continues.
The event this morning was actually a press conference and groundbreaking ceremony (banderazo or flag waving in Spanish) for the rehabilitation of the Plazuela Machado, led by Alfredo Gomez Rubio, owner of Pedro and Lola restaurant and a key leader of the restoration of our Centro Histórico. I believe we all recall that some upgrades to the Plazuela just happened. We all know there are other areas of the city, including the main Pino Suarez Market, that could much use renovation. But, hey, we’ve got palm trees on the malecón, plans for an expanded city park that includes a major art museum (thank you, Neto Coppel), and soon, a new Carpa Olivera outdoor pool in Olas Altas. Refreshing the Plazuela is definitely a good thing for our city’s image.
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¡VidaMaz! 
I loved hearing that Carlos Felton actually read an issue of M! Magazine. I´m sure he must have someone on board who reads this sort of periodicals to keep him informed, but I also think it´s important that, as mayor of Mazatlán, he reads — and feels — what is being published for himself. Thank you, Dianne, for sharing.
To think he just happened to pick up an issue as he waited for a massage is very cool, but to hear him talk about how he got goosebumps reading how much a foreigner loves his city and the new palm trees really made me happy, Isa!