San Francisco Plaza vendors wait for relocation plans, complain of poor communication with the city

The vendors at San Francisco Plaza continue to wait for word of when they will relocate to Calle Padre Aguirre while the plaza undergoes reconstruction.

Plaza vendors await word on their relocation. (El Tiempo)

Cuenca historic district council director Pablo Barzallo says the schedule depends on delivery of the first payment to the project contractor, which he expects to happen this week. “The contract has been signed so we’re just waiting for final details to be worked out,” he said.

In addition to uncertainty about the move, vendors are also concerned about design of the sales kiosks that the city proposes to install on the completed plaza. “They are not big enough for the merchandise and they don’t offer security when we’re not working,” says vendor Blanca Arízaga. “They (the city) says they will make changes but we haven’t see them yet.”

She adds: “The communications between the merchants and city has been very bad. They are not telling us what is going on.”

Barzallo says the city continues to work on the sales kiosk redesign and will meet with the vendors as soon as possible. “We have some time for that,” he says. “The immediate priority is to start the rehabilitation work on the plaza, which will happen very soon.”