Rehabilitation of the San José chapel and the repair of other damage caused by a flash flood that struck Ajijic’s La Floresta subdivision on Thursday, September 17 are progressing steadily, Asociacón de Colonos President Fernando Plata Salaman told this newspaper.
He cited an estimated cost of 320,000 pesos to fix structural damage to the small church, replace furnishings and equipment destroyed by the inundation of mud, reinstall a security gate and rebuild part of the back wall running along the subdivision’s northern perimeter.
The homeowners’ association is supplying materials, manpower and some funds for the complete repair package, under supervision of an ad hoc support group. Private contributions are being handled at the La Floresta administration office, Paseo del Lago 104 at Paseo del Mirador, where names and signatures of donors are kept on record.
Chapala Civil Protection chief Lorenzo Salazar attributed the disaster to an unusually heavy storm that hit the mountain range above La Floresta, combined with blockage of the arroyo that captures rainwater flowing out of the hills.
Although Plata acknowledged that the fixed metal gate installed across the arroyo’s outlet through La Floresta made conditions worse, he pointed to poorly managed urban growth as an aggravating factor, specifically man-made waterway courses that have been permitted as new developments sprouted in surrounding areas.
Plata explained that the security gate has now been replaced by a sturdy grill made up of thick metal poles, 2.5 meters in height, designed to allow water to run through and prevent future flooding, while keeping intruders out.
In response to objections that La Floresta has shut off a pedestrian short cut leading to residential complexes above the neighborhood, Plata said, “We are obligated to let the water pass, not provide a pathway for people.” He mentioned that the controversial matter even generated a drawn-out lawsuit that was eventually resolved in the fraccionamiento’s favor.
He further supported his posture with crime statistics. “Two years ago the subdivision was experiencing eight to ten home robberies per month. The number dropped to zero after the gate was installed. A break-in was reported the very next day after the flood knocked it out.”
Plata likewise defended the moveable security barriers installed at accesses to lower La Floresta on Camino Real that are closed nightly at 11 p.m. While recognizing they are not “technically legal” for barricading a public thoroughfare, he said they were put in under recommendation by state authorities following the tragic double murder of Canadian residents Ed Kular and Nina Discombe in February 2014.
“We regret any inconveniences caused by these common sense security measures, implemented solely for the safety and peace of mind of residents,” he concluded.