Pedro set to be open to traffic at night!

More importantly, the chicas don't seem to mind one way or another

It really is too bad...it was a start of going in the right direction. I walked down the street last week, in the middle of the week, and every restaurant had a good amount of customers sitting both on the street and inside the restaurants. This to me looked very positive...now they have decided to open the street up again and we go straight back to the non-inviting look that Sosua has offered for so many years....such a shame.

I am greatly disappointed. From what I understand this was done back handedly. Many of the business people had no idea it was going to happen until Monday night!

A very big step backward for Sosua.

ejl293 said:

I am greatly disappointed. From what I understand this was done back handedly. Many of the business people had no idea it was going to happen until Monday night!

A very big step backward for Sosua.

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On monday? i knew on saturday and i don't even live there!

The petition that was signed has signatures from 6 months ago on it when the street first closed so that in itself is shifty as f*ck since some of the people who signed it then have changed their minds.

The guy who started the petition was Joe at the Camera shop and I am assuming a camera shop is closed at night so not really sure why he cares so much?!

Could have at least tried just the weekends closed!

To me it felt safer and the street had way more of a community feel, it's really too bad!

Since it was behind people's backs I won't go to the businesses that singed it and I know many that feel the same way.

Vinyasa said:

On monday? i knew on saturday and i don't even live there!

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Most people here found out on Sunday I believe, well the ones that weren't signing the petition that is!

Yes it is truly a travesty. Never mind that every other building in Sosua is vacant and crumbling and/or filled with squatters. But the bright side, all the vacant lots are used as a garbage dump so you don't have far to throw your refuse.

pauleast said:

Yes it is truly a travesty. Never mind that every other building in Sosua is vacant and crumbling and/or filled with squatters. But the bright side, all the vacant lots are used as a garbage dump so you don't have far to throw your refuse.

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If Sosua is so bad, why travel there all the way from Santiago?

:bunny::bunny::bunny:

I was there the other night and with the traffic the street is crappy as usual. Off to Cabarate beach restaurants from now on where I don't get a moto idling in my face while I eat.

What a huge step backwards. Some of those that signed are not even opened at night, some signed 6 months ago, some lied to , some thought it would be closed on weekends to traffic.
The Mayor.....No where to be found.

For a Mayor that was trying to improve tourism, community feel and such in Sosua she and the council has screwed up royally. Maybe she is too busy getting the sidewalk built and the new police station opened. A couple more apparent screw ups.

I personally will make sure that I, hopefully my friends, our clients NEVER cross the thresholds of those establishments ever again.

Even though I supported the Jolly Rodger in its rebuild you won't find me there now.

Bob K

Just my two cents worth.i really enjoyed sitting at a table watching the action when i came down this year, it was a lot better than trying to navigate the chaos of motto concho's and cars. but i guess that makes too much sense for the powers that be.

I feel the same as BobK. So Sousa is this. Money has changed hands as always. So Sousa.

Let me make sure I understand what I am reading.

They closed down the main street to traffic at night to help the businesses which are "family oriented" while at the same
time discouraging the "sex tourist" who come down to Sosua and spend loads of cold hard cash in the bars. So now that they have gotten rid of all the guys who throw money at the prostitutes and nightclubs, they are going to re-open the main street at night and completely ruin the very same "family oriented" atmosphere they have been making such a big stink about in the local press?

One step forward, two steps backwards.

@least Armando can park his jeepeta right in front of whichever venue he decides will re-open shortly! Life goes on in the sleepy seaside hamlet of Sosua.

This is very Dominican. They love drama so much they make it up where it never existed. I just hope we still have the free movies and culture.

The more things change....the more they stay the same.

An opportunity existed to make Pedro Clissante an attraction/destination on it's own, differentiated from just any other street in Sosua lined with bars. Some (The Brit) embraced that and made the street a great place to spend an evening without the noise, the exhaust fumes, and without having to dodge traffic. Some did nothing to attempt to capitalize on the idea and blamed a decline in revenue on the street being closed. It surely could have nothing to do with the drop in tourism in the target demographic not to mention lack of service or other factors !!!

Almost every (VERY few exceptions) post that has been made here and on a number of facebook pages is in favor of keeping the street closed. One would think that businesses have a responsibility, and listen to their patrons? Perhaps not.

I am sure the businesses that signed the petition (the ones that are actually recent and are open during the hours the street was closed) had reasons for doing so. As stated before, the really sad part is how the petition went down and the mis-representation.

So now it is mid-January and the busiest part of the tourist season. The perfect time to open the street to traffic seeing as most tourists walk. Now they can get the true Sosua experience of a street jammed with cars, stereos blaring and horns honking, exhaust fumes billowing and the fun game of motoconcho frogger.

I agree with Bob K as well. Sometimes you just need to shake your head.

I agree with all previous posters. Pedro Clisante was actually starting to be a pleasant destination rather than the take-your-life-in-your-hands-to-eat-dinner event that it once again is. I knew that the camera guy was moaning that the street closing ruined his business, but what ruined his business was the invention of the digital camera. Every restauranteur to the man/woman that I spoke with was in favor of the street being closed. I know that the Jolly Roger, Mamajuana, Tipico, and Los Flores were the leaders of the pack. The Jolly Roger is still trying to get back on its feet after the rebuild and I think blamed the street closing for its difficulties. Interestingly enough, those are 4 places that I never have frequented, and now I will make it a point not to. I may also stop in and tell them that I strongly disagree with their position and that I will not be recommending them to guests in the hotel that I manage.

Is it worth it to contact Ilana's office? Could there be a DR-1 petition?

I took my kids to Jolly last month. Had a great time, fresh bread, the place was full, we could walk without: "beep beep", fumes, "beep beep", moto?, varoom varoom... etc.
We will not be going back. Not.
And yes, Meemselle, maybe a petition would get noticed. The Mayor got paid so she doesn't care.