Former President Joaquin Balaguer and several of his former architectural collaborators opposes the building of sports venues for the Santo Domingo Pan American Games on the premises of the Parque Mirador del Este. Under Balaguer administrations, most of the city’s parks were built, including the Mirador del Este as part of a master plan to provide Santo Domingo with breathing and recreational spaces. In a written communication signed by the influential former statesman, the opponents to the building of the sports facilities say that the areas were conceived as needed city green areas and that instead of tumbling trees to build the sports venues, more trees should be planted. Originally, it was said that Balaguer had given his blessing to the proposal made by the Organizing Committee of the Games to build the facilities on park grounds. Now the document states differently, and could be fatal to the nation’s keeping of the site of the Games. The Pan American Sports Organization has said that the DR must come through with what it has proposed and not make any more changes. In the document, the opponents state that the city has a sacred commitment to protect the park as patrimony of all. The document expresses fear that the park would be harmed by the thousands of people the games venues would attract. The Organizing Committee of the Games has proposed to build covered facilities for handball, gymnasium, table tennis, badminton, weight lifting and open courts for tennis, archery and hockey on grass. Likewise, an amphitheater would be built, the train repaired, two artificial lakes built, and recreational areas built.Originally, the Organizing Committee had said the needed new facilities would go up adjacent to the V Centenario Race Track, later changing this site to the Mirador del Este Park. The Organizing Committee of the Games expressed its surprise that Balaguer was now opposing the project. The Committee had commissioned engineer Bienvenido Martinez to explain the project to Balaguer, prior to its presenting the site of the additional sports venues to the Pan American Games Sports Organization. The organizing committee and Minister of Public Works Miguel Vargas visited Balaguer. They said Balaguer gave his approval to the project."He has been told things that are not true," said Dr. Jose Joaquin Puello, president of the Organizing Committee. "I do not understand this change of attitude." Jose Joaquin Puello said that it is strange that Balaguer now opposes the project, as he is known as a coherent person. He said the project would use only 4% of the area to build the venues. In addition to Balaguer, others signing the document opposing using the Mirador del Este Park to build the sports facilities are architects Rafael Tomas Hernandez and Eugenio Perez Montas. Also Pedro Morales Troncoso and Guillermo Caram.
