In an interview with El Dia, the Dominican Republic’s leading landscape architect, Benjamin Paiewonsky complains of the lack of maintenance that has led to the complete neglect of Santo Domingo’s seafront boulevard, best known as the Malecon. Paiewonsky compared the natural beauty of the 14 km avenue to boardwalks in Cannes, Buenos Aires, Havana and the Atlantic City in New Jersey.
He said when the avenue was planned during the Trujillo dictatorship native palm trees were chosen because they are low-maintenance and resistant to winds, waves and sea spray. He said in the case of the Malecon, neither the city government nor the parks department has established or followed through any rulings for this area. He also criticized the fact that heavy trucks continue to use the avenue.
In the interview, Paiewonsky says that governments have been reluctant to maintain works built by previous administrations, mentioning the neglect of the Plaza Los Trinitarios, another carried out by him on Las Americas Expressway, the Faro Viejo on 30 de Marzo and the Trujillo-Hull obelisk and the Monumento Fray Anton de Montesinos, and the breakwaters, also on the Malecon.
Paiewonsky is best known for his masterpiece, the Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens. He also was responsible for the botanical gardens at the top of Mount Isabel de Torres that are reached by cable car.
Paisajista deplora no se le de mantenimiento a obras creadas
