the Colonial Zone

I have read the dr1 news articles on getting the tenants out of the old buildings and replacing them with new richer tenants who will both fit in with the tourist business and be able to maintain the buildings better. These buildings and people were one of the things that most impressed me as I walked around there. I can understand wanting to enhance the use of those buildings, but would hate to see the changes being considered, ie putting coca cola, burger king, and souvenir vendors in there. God forbid! In the Colonial areas of the US there are a few similar places, that retain the original streets and buildings, and what has been done is that they have been funded by historical groups who preserve the sites and coordinate programs using people who dress in the costumes of the times, use furniture and equipment of the place and time, and make crafts and food to demonstrate, and to sell. One such place is at Plymouth, in Massachusetts, where, in 1602 the Pilgrims landed and stayed with the Wampanoag Indians for a time. Some Wampanoags dress like they did then, and have a village site as it would have looke then, and demonstrate the lifestyle for tourists. There are also European Americans who dress as in Colonial times... There is also an old whaling port in Mystic, Connecticut that is preserved and they have a whaling boat to board and inspect. In Williamsburg, Va. is another mock colonial town. I would love to come to the Colonial Zone in the DR and see these buildings used in such a way that I feel like I am actually experiencing a bit of Colonial Santo Domingo.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

I looked up some of the web-sites for the places mentioned above. I saw an ad for Valley Forge yesterday. If you look at these you will see what I mean and why I think the Colonial Zone would be perfect for such a site. It is kind of like a theme park, but real instead of Disney fantasy. Check out : www.valleyforge.org ; for US National Park Service go to www.nps.gov ; the colonial town of williamsburg, is at www.history.org ; and Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts it at www.osv.org. It would work and I would pay to tour such a restored Colonial Zone.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Arcoiris

Your ideas of restoring and preserving the Colonial Zone are not only laudable, but desperately needed. I fear that unless a foriegn investor can be convinced to help, the irreplaceable colonial Zone is likely to continue to fall into ruin, or be sold piece by piece to the highest bidder for commercial gain.

Remember, we went through the same situation in this country until people realized our heritage could not be replaced once destroyed.

Remember the horrors of "urban renewal" in the 60's and eraly 70's, so many historic structures destroyed for the sake of strip malls and cluster housing

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Thanks. Actually, I know some Dominicans in the US that could help. They know the culture better. To restore it and run it really takes knowlege of the history and culture that a foreign investor couldn't have, and it would probably also be that the foreign investor would do it much more as a commercial venture than Dominican's who would be preserving and guarding a national treasure. The Dominican group of which I speak is currently involved in creating another kind of theme park in another section of the DR. I do remember the "urban renewal" that you speak of, and that's scaring me too. The National Park Service now has a web site which is about historical preservation projects. Check out www.nps.gov and surf around. If other people give me good feed back, I'll see if I can make some of the networking connections between groups to form a committee. Foreign support wouldn't hurt, but not foreign control. How can I put these web sites up so people can just click on them?

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Hello Arcoiris,

(I'm french, so I'll do my best with english ;o))

To put the web sites up, when you post a reponse, you have to fill the "optional link URL" with the site's address and the "optional link title" with few words appropriated.

Regarding your idea about changing the colonial zone in SD into a "theme park", I can just say that I'm horrified...Of course, this national treasure must be preserved and, unfortunately, I don't have any brilliant idea to help in that way. But I'm sure that my friends living in the colonial zone don't want -but not at all- to change their lives, beeing used as "people who dress in the costumes of the times, use furniture and equipment of the place and time, and make crafts and food to demonstrate, and to sell." They are not poor, but it's true that they have to fight to make decent money, but they are perfectly aware of the historical importance of the buildings they are living in, and they maintain them, just as you or I do with our places. Couldn't the colonial zone in SD be considered as the way the malecon area in la Havana - Cuba is considered, in french it's called "patrimoine de l'humanit?", means money is provided by international organisations, in order to renovate the buildings ? Can you imagine if someone was telling you "act as a 16th century actor, or leave your house !" ? I love tis part of Santo Domingo, especially because those beautiful houses, mirror of the past, are the center of a real life, a "today's life", with colors, music, gossips, "pleitos", and not an giant museum, made for tourists. Thanks for reading

S?gol?ne

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Don't mess with the Colonial Zone! The archaeological restorations to date through the RD Government are remarkable considering the general absence of funding. There is enough "kitsch" to satisfy anyone! Canadian Bob.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

without a change in dominican law in refrence to squatters [people ocupying property not of their own and paying no rent] wery little can be done to help the colonial zone. haveing lived here for 20 years with my buisness in the colonial zone i have witnessed the problems here on a daily basis,lack of respect for the historic place that started a new world. the inability of oweners to evict squatters from their property has produced the opinion that they must wait for the building to fall down killing all who reside there before they can reclaim their property and make repairs [ i have wittnessed within two blocks of my office two large 2 story butifull buildings colapse killing all who reside there] these buildings have now been restored by the owners at three times the cost that it would have cost had they not collapsed.take for a example the second floor above my office. 32 people occupied a space designed for one family it took the owner ten years an an undetermined amount of money to evict them. and eaven then the eviction was done at gun point. than night the evicted and indignent group smashed out all the windows poured cement down the drains and if it had not been a cement building they would have burned it. [ these are some of the nice people living in the colonial zone]. the owners must reclaim their rightfull property before any real changes will be realized.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

we are having good discussion and various viewpoints are helpful. You misunderstand me if you think I want exactly a theme park. I do not want a Disneyland king of thing! The restored historical sites in the US, done by the National Park Service, and the ones done by historical societies are not commercial ventures. Something has to be done to preserve the Colonial Zone, There are a few options. We are discussing what the best options are. I didn't know how to describe Old Sturbridge Village, or Williamsburg, and thought that the similarity to a theme park would be the closest thing, but these places are not theme parks. They are historical sites that are preserved, and used also to preserve the culture that the sites are associated with, which are colonial era. Actually, the whole country is a world treasure that is misused and abused, but to preserve the Colonial Zone would be the least we could do. I do suggest that it be funded by donations and not as investments. Segolene, did you ever visit these sites in the US? Thanks for teaching me about how to put a link to a site. Actually, I am trying to prevent further misuse and abuse of the Colonial Zone, and not encourage more.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

I've never been to those sites in the US, so maybe, I imagined the worst, and it may be a solution ?? James's message is interesting, I wasn't aware of this problem of squatters, and it seems that the colonial zone could suffer, at a dangerous point, from this situation if "the law" doesn't help soon...

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

James,

Although your message presents a serious issue, I could not help but chuckle. My family had this same problem twenty years ago. We owned property right on Isabel La Catolica street, and I recall we went to hell and back trying to get rid of the family occupying the house. My family sold that house shortly after. I now wish we would have kept it.

Regards,

Natasha

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Right on Canadian Bob!

I admire Arcoiris' thoughts, but you are also correct. I remember what this area looked like when I was growing up, nothing like today, although to some extent it was definetely more charming, perhaps. Much more needs to be done, without the fast food joints. Hopefully not another Old San Juan.

Regards,

Natasha

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Hi Natasha! It is impossible for short -term visitors to get a proper overview of the problems involving the Colonial Zone. Even with 15 years under our belt in the DR we still don't know it all. Certainly squatters are a widespread problem. After trying to legaly evict squatters from our house over a 2 year period, we finally traded the house for a car of roughly equal value. The Dominican who gave us the car ousted the squatters at gunpoint! It was a nightmare for us, but we have learned to smile & carry on with our lives on the island which we both love. the majority of the people are great, & the sunshine sure helps take care of the occasional screwups! Canadian Bob.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

well, I forwarded the thread to the consulate and the presidential web-sites . As you say Canadian , we are not the experts. Let's let them take the ball now, and see what happens.

Can this be done?

Hi Arco,

I understand your motives are sincere, but I am questioning whether forwarding a thread from this board (although this is a public forum) to another entity is "netiquettly" correct. I don't know much about this, so perhaps others can comment.

Regards,

Natasha

Re: Can this be done?/would think so

I can't imagine why not, it is hard to believe that ny person has an expectation of privacy when they post a message on an Internet board.

Tom

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

i have a better idea?lets turn it into (DISNEY CARIBEAN)these are some of the funniest posts i've read yet.

I stand corrected then

Natasha

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

Zona Colonial

My first contact with the Dominican Republic was a thirty day period in the Zona Colonial, Dec. '66' and following that eleven weeks in '75' plus other shorter visits. Over the years so much has changed, some good, some bad, and some disastrous. One of my memories from these visits is looking down into the back yard of my sister in law's apartment and seeing a piece of the original wall that surrounded Colonial Santo Domingo. Every effort must be used to save this district from further decay and destruction, the invasion of foreign owners will only complicate the tremendous amount of restoration work needed. Recently I saw something on TV about Trinidad, Cuba a small town that has been acclaimed a World Heritage site. Possibly the organization involved with the Cuban project could help in some way with the preservation of 'Old Santo Domingo'. . .

. . . CES

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

I agree, and it is possible to come up with philanthropic people and organizations to really help. I would do what I can also. If the government decalares it national park land, all the squatters would have to leave as well as all the private owners and that would take care of that.

Re: the Colonial Zone; follow-up

that shows you have misread and misunderstood the whole thing. We specifically said we wanted to avoid a Disneyland commercial venture. But have you ever visited Williamsburg, Va.? or Sturbridge Village, Mass.? Apparently not. What is your better idea? If you really have one, we are all ears.