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The Jaltemba Express

The Almost Daily Newspaper for Jaltemba Bay and Surrounding Areas Circulation 1270

Bridge Work Party a Success

Workers showed up starting at 7. Wooden boards were treated. The cables were tightened. Foot boards were repaired, replaced and secured.

Volunteers turned out in numbers to Repair the Bridge of Life – the small suspension bridge over the river that separates the two sister communities of Rincon de Guayabitos and La Peñita. The bridge was originally built with volunteers and donated money to provide a safe walking link to and from both towns. Previous to the bridge, a number of fatal pedestrian/car accidents per month occurred on the Highway 200 link.

The bridge has needed repairs primarily through due to age and misuse. Apparently motorcycles have damaged the bridge and have caused minor accidents for pedestrians. There are clear no-motorcycle signs on both entrances.

Plans for the Bridge Upgrade included posts to block motorcycles, but plans changed. “The posts would block grocery carts and baby carriages,” explains volunteer and organizer Danny Milski. “That’s not what we wanted to do.”

Milski told the Express that instead they have worked with the local police who have promised to step up their surveillance. “We asked them to give the motorcyclists tickets…..They told us they know who it is and they plan to confiscate his bike.”

Good news.

The Bridge for Life volunteer work party will resume next week. They plan to build a suspended hand rail and raise the chain link fence higher to make it safer.

Volunteers and donations are gratefully accepted.

Pictures of just some of the many volunteers who showed up Sunday morning below...click on phtograph to view in larger format

Feature Article - History of the Bridge for Life

The author of the following article wishes to remain anonymous. The Bridge of Life was a brain child for a number of years and the only thing lacking was money. As more and more local workers were being killed or injured on the highway the North American residents in Guayabitos and La Peñita decided to take action and raise the money to get the bridge constructed. I would like to remind people that prior to 2004 the highway between these two towns was only two lanes, no traffic lights and no speed limits. There were two bridges over the river that did not have sidewalks.

In January of 2003 it was decided that some fund raisers should be organized that would give birth to the Bridge For Life. Now you understand the reason for the name of the bridge.

The 2003 Horseshoe Tournament organized by Howell Brothers was held at Dave’s Restaurant on the beach and after the dust cleared they had a cash balance of $2050. Looking for a place to donate this money they more than willingly donated it to the Bridge for Life Fund and the Building Fund was started.

The first official Fund Raiser was held in the Plaza in Rincon. It involved 12 committees and 70 volunteers. The decision was if we are going to do it lets do it big. Blue Donation boxes were placed around the two towns. Volunteers worked the Tiangis each Thursday handing out the information given below and asking for money. Other Volunteers went from business to business asking for donations such as T-Shirts, pens, pencils, pots anything that could be used for Raffle Prizes. Both of these avenues were huge successes. 500 flyers were printed and pasted around both Towns and delivered to all the hotels.

Handout below – Look Familiar

BRIDGE FOR LIFE FUND RAISING EVENT

On an average one pedestrian per month is killed and many others are injured on the bridge over the river between Rincon de Guayabitos and La Peñita. With the widening of the highway these numbers will likely increase.

The Asocicion de Residentes, A.C. Fraccionamiento de Sol Nuevo Rincon de Guayabitos, Chamber of Commerce, Hotel and Business Association, volunteers from the Mexican Community and the International Community are working together to raise enough money to construct a cable footbridge over the river between Rincon de Guayabitos and La Peñita.

We have the approval, we have the location, we have the plans AND NOW WE NEED THE MONEY to complete this project.

Please join us in this lifesaving effort. Please make a donation and attend the Bridge for Life Fund Raising event to be held Saturday March 8th in The Plaza, Rincon De Guayabitos 12 :00 noon to 12 midnight – fun for all – free admission - see posters for details or talk to a volunteer.

YOU COULD HELP SAVE A LIFE AND THAT LIFE COULD BE YOURS OR A LOVED ONES

The committees were:- Site Set Up, Flea Market, Hamburger and Hot Dog Stand, Mexican Food, Bar, Bake Sale, Casino, Horseshoes, Bingo, Bocce Ball, Ticket Sellers and Donation Boxes, Sound Stage, Kiddies Corner, Face Painting, Ticket Sales, T Shirts, Raffle, Ice Cream and Financial. Believe it or not the Plaza in Rincon had not been used for many years and it was necessary to have the electrical system checked, so Captain John and Big John volunteered to take their lives into their own hands and yes we got power and had lights.

This fundraiser was pulled together in three weeks. Set up was 8:00 a.m. on the 8th of March 2003, and the plaza began to get busy by 11:00 a.m. Chris, Steve and Poncho couldn’t hold the crowds back from their Flea Market (all items willingly donated by the North American Community), so they had to open their Flea Market by 11:00 and were sold out by their official opening time of 12:00 noon; everything was clear profit, one of our more lucrative ventures. The day flew by, every one was run off their feet and those who attended had a great time. We sold beer at 10 pesos, Wine at 20 pesos, Mixed drinks at 30 pesos Hot dogs and popcorn at 10 pesos and Hamburgers at 20 pesos.

As our Venue was free, although it was necessary to make a formal application and presentation in Compostela to obtain a license to sell beer and wine in a public place, there were no big overheads and everything we bought or was donated were sold at profit. Our labor force of volunteers aged between 60 and 75 worked for free. Gross Proceeds (including the $2050 from the Howells and $12,000 from the donation boxes) was $98,464.00 with net proceeds of $79,912.90. A lot of beer and food were sold. Although we realized more money than we expected it was not enough. But we had a great start.

Where was this Bridge to be built? The end of Sol Neuvo in Rincon over the river to the end of Bahia Banderas, Las Peñita.

Materials were ordered delivered and stored in the Home Owners Association Bodega. A contractor hired and work started on the bridge mid April 2003, unfortunately some of the labor which was to be donated or provided at a minimal cost had to be paid for, so some very responsible people brought the construction to a stage that it would not deteriorate over the summer of 2003 and shut down construction as the money had run out.

Work resumed around 8th of December 2003. This was made possible by interest free loans to the Building Fund by individuals that wanted to see the bridge completed. These individuals requested that they be nameless and we thank them once again, because without the money it would not have happen.

Now we had to raise money to pay off loans. A Xmas Dance was held in the Plaza on December 20the 2003, Horseshoe Tournament behind Harry and Gennie’s on February 7 2004, and the money raised at the Fashion Show February 14, 2004, was donated to the building fund. The Rincon Residents Association also got the concession to provided food for the Volkswagen Rally two years in a row and donated the proceeds. The Jaltemba Bay web site published photos and up-dates on the bridge’s progress and donations were made by friends in the States and Canada

As our original contractor had not worked out Charlie arranged for his crew to build the upright on the La Peñita side of the bridge so that the cables could be strung. The building fund paid the wages of the crew and Charlie donated his time. Over the summer Harry and his helpers had cut and stained boards and they were also stored in the Bodega ready for the big day.

A crew was formed of volunteers and a paid Mexican Engineer. Over a three day period the cables were pulled, the boards laid, the safety netting put up and voila the bridge was finished. Sounds easy but a lot of hard work by a lot of people made it happen and they are all glad they participated and we had lots of fun along the way.

This bridge is used every day and Roque has counted over 350 pedestrians and cyclists on one day using the bridge (he lives on Sol Neuvo). Accidents and fatalities on the highway immediately went down and have stayed down.

The Bridge Committee has tried on many occasions to pass the ownership of this bridge to the Towns of La Peñita and Rincon, however, they will not take ownership because they do not have the money to maintain it. So once again money and volunteers are being sought to bring this valuable life saving bridge back into good repair.

Please give your time or a little money to make this happen. Those of you who don’t know where this bridge is take some time and have a look. It is located at the end of Sol Neuvo on the Rincon side and the end of Bahia Banderas on the La Peñita side, go ahead, enjoy yourself and laugh, take a walk across the bridge, its fun.

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