Urban planning contest gives Cayey youth a stake in their town’s future

Fabiola Quiñones, a student at Miguel A. Julia Collazo Specialized School of Fine Arts in Cayey, said opportunities such as the municipally sponsored Urban Planning Contest “allow young people to express how we would like our city to develop over the years.” (Facebook via Cayey Ciudad Verde)

By THE STAR STAFF

The Municipality of Cayey began the week by welcoming students from various public schools who participated in the conference on the Ninth Urban Planning Contest “Urban Park: Sustainable Mobility,” a space designed to encourage youth participation in the development of innovative proposals for the town.

Cayey Mayor Rolando Ortiz Velázquez noted that the event’s welcoming message, delivered at the Municipal Theater by Jessie Gabriel Gutiérrez Cordero, interim director of the Municipal School of Fine Arts, emphasized “the importance of youth actively getting involved in planning and projects that promote collective well-being, environmental sustainability, and a better quality of life for all.”

Gutiérrez Cordero stressed that urban parks “strengthen community life by becoming meeting points for sharing with family and friends.”

“They promote physical activity through walking, cycling, sports, and recreational activities, fostering healthy lifestyles,” he said. “They also offer positive alternatives for children and young people, helping to reduce violence and strengthening a sense of belonging and community.”

Regarding how towns face major challenges such as traffic congestion, environmental pollution, traffic accidents, and inefficient use of public space, the mayor highlighted sustainable mobility as an essential component of modern urban development.

“Given this reality, we are promoting the creation of safe bike lanes, the effective integration of public transportation, the strengthening of pedestrian infrastructure, and the promotion of micromobility, such as the use of bicycles and electric scooters,” Ortiz Velázquez said.

As part of the opening of the event, several young participants from the previous edition of the urban planning competition addressed the audience and shared their experiences. Among them were Yenzen Rodríguez and Fabiola Quiñones, from the Miguel A. Julia Collazo Specialized School of Fine Arts, and Efraín Ortiz, from the Benjamín Harrison Vocational School.

Rodríguez said it was not only rewarding to share his own proposal, but also to learn about those of his fellow competitors.

“This way we can find inspiration, learn about different ideas, and see the opportunities that exist to improve our park,” he said. “It opens minds and allows new initiatives to emerge for our city.”

Quiñones emphasized the importance of the spaces for youth participation.

“I think they are excellent spaces,” she said, while urging other Cayey youth to participate. “They allow young people to express how we would like our city to develop over the years. [...] These kinds of experiences help us imagine, create, and even adopt small projects that can become big changes in the future.”