Work on San Francisco Plaza at halfway point

The renovation of Cuenca’s San Francisco Plaza is on schedule to meet its July completion date, according to Cuenca Mayor Marcelo Cabrera. The project contractor said the project is 45 percent complete.

San Francisco Plaza workers remove old paving stones. (El Tiempo)

During a Saturday tour of the project, Cabrera said he was worried for the plaza merchants who claim their sales are down 60 percent since they were relocated to Calle Padre Aguirre. “They have suffered severe economic hardship and we need to get them back in the plaza as soon as possible,” he said. “The new plaza will attract more tourists as well as Cuenanos and will enhance their livelihoods.”

In addition to renovation of the plaza itself Cabrera said he is considering upgrades to Calle Presidente Cordova, on the south side of the plaza. “We can assist the merchants by making the adjacent streets more attractive,” he said. “We need a welcoming entry to the plaza.”

The San Francisco Plaza renovation is a $4 million project with $1.3 million earmarked for upgrading the plaza surface.