Tranvía information kiosk erected at Civic Plaza; last year, Mayor Cabrera called the Otorongo tram kiosk a ‘waste of money’

The tranvía information kiosk at Otorongo Plaza last year.

The city transportation office has opened an information kiosk in Civic Plaza, adjacent to the Nueve de Octubre market.

According to Gerard Fernandez, Cuenca transportation chief, the kiosk is intended to inform the public about details of the tram, including its route, station locations, technology and construction plans. The kiosk will be manned by transportation office personnel to answer questions about the tram.

In addition to the kiosk, Fernandez says that transportation officials plan to go house to house in the historic district neighborhoods on the tram route. “We need to talk directly to the people who will be affected directly by the project,” he said.

Cuenca Mayor Marcelo Cabrera called a similar information kiosk on Otorongo Plaza last year “a big waste of public money.” That kiosk was built by the previous administration, led by Mayor Paúl Granda who Cabrera defeated in February. During the mayoral campaign, Cabrera criticized the tram, saying he would reevaluate the project once he was in office.

Since then, Cabrera has had a change of heart and now supports the project. In November, he announced he supported President Rafael Correa, who supports the tram.