Lawmaker to oppose Aguada park transfer to Aguadilla

Parque Colón, a small but symbolically charged stretch of coastal land, sits inside Aguada’s borders -- but for decades Aguadilla has maintained it, fueling friction rooted in a territorial split dating back to the 18th century.

By THE STAR STAFF

A long‑simmering dispute over who truly controls Parque Colón has once again pushed the neighboring municipalities of Aguada and Aguadilla into the spotlight.

The park, a small but symbolically charged stretch of coastal land, sits inside Aguada’s borders -- but for decades Aguadilla has maintained it, fueling friction rooted in a territorial split dating back to the 18th century.

On Tuesday, Rep. Odalys González González threw a decisive wrench into a proposal that would officially transfer the park and its structures to Aguadilla. She announced she will vote against the measure, warning that the deal may do more than settle a local disagreement -- it could weaken one of the foundational principles of Puerto Rico’s municipal system: territorial integrity.

González argued that approving the transfer would “normalize” the trading of public assets between municipalities, a precedent she believes could have far‑reaching consequences. Public property, she stressed, carries fiduciary and administrative responsibilities that belong to the municipality where it physically resides -- responsibilities that shouldn’t be shuffled around through one‑off legislation.

Although she acknowledged Aguadilla’s years of maintenance and agreed that the town deserves recognition for shouldering that burden, González was firm: Parque Colón is in Aguada, and ultimately Aguada must take ownership of its rehabilitation and management. The solution, she said, lies in collaboration -- not redrawing practical boundaries.

The legislator said her concerns extend beyond that single park. Altering responsibilities tied to municipal borders, González warned, risks destabilizing territorial governance itself. Decisions involving land, jurisdiction, and public assets shape institutional precedent, and precedent, she emphasized, is not something to be taken lightly.

González said she intends to closely monitor any future legislative or administrative actions involving the park to ensure Aguada’s territorial integrity remains intact. She also floated an alternative path -- one that recognizes Aguadilla’s contributions while safeguarding Aguada’s jurisdictional borders and promoting cooperative, resource‑driven solutions without reshaping municipal lines.

Meanwhile, both towns have historically claimed to be the site of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in 1493, though that is not a modern territorial border dispute.