Bogotá's Own High-Line*

Children play ball in the new Parque Bicentenario, with the Biblioteca Nacional in the background.

Five years late and undoubtedly way over budget, El Parque Bicentenario was inaugurated last Friday, giving Bogotanos a new place to hang out, if not more green space.

The park was envisioned for 2010, the bicentennial of Colombia's founding. However, design changes and a lawsuit by neighbors delayed the project until this year - when Colombia is 207 years old.

The concept of a public space above Calle 26 connecting Independence Park and to the Museum of Modern Art was originated by famed Colombian architect Rogelio Salmona, who died in 2008. The new park is supposed to right a historic wrong: Parque de la Independencia, created in 2010 to host the World's Fair, has suffered repeated amputations as avenues slashed thru its western and southern sides. Ironically, the new Parque Bicentenario took yet another bite out of Independence Park because its elevation required the construction of access ramps and stairways on its northern side. Building those meant eliminating

A romantic moment in the park.

grassy space and cutting down several trees, and prompted an unsuccesful lawsuit by residents of the Torres del Parque on Independence Park's other side. The new park's great cost also made me wonder whether the couldn't have better spent the money creating a conventional park in some other, disadvantaged part of the city.

But that's all in the past. Parque Bicentenario is now finished, and the city has created a pleasant area for relaxing, reading, and perhaps small concerts or theatre events. It's an area of stairways and winding paths bordered by small gardens. When I visited on Monday afternoon, the Bicentenario was active with couples and families sitting, tossing balls around and taking photos, while security guards warned people not to stand on the benches. But the popularity may just be novelty. I'm not sure what will draw people here, except the promise of a quiet spot to walk or sit and read or kiss. But you can find those same things a few meters away in Parque de la Independencia, wher you can also lie on the grass and let your dog run around.

The park's entrance on Carrera Septima.

I also wondered why the designers included so many stairways where wheelchair-friendlier ramps would have worked just as well (perhaps to discourage skateboarding and bicycle riding). And what will happen during rainstorms, when torrents of water will flow down into Parque de la Independencia, turning its grass into muddy pits. And Bicentenario's paucity of trash cans also seems strainge. Sure, it's best to pack out what you pack in, but that's not Colombian culture. Hope not to see this park littered with pop cans and cigarrette butts.

In a few months, will this new park be forgotten by most Bogotanos and taken over by potheads, beggars and skateboarders? Let's hope that city officials remember to fund activities here to keep this an active place.

*For anybody who doesn't follow New York urban developments, the High Line is popular new park their built on top of an old, raised trolley line.

Calle 26 traffic passing underneath the park.

A family in the park.

A rare sight: Trash cans.

A light festival at night.

The original Parque de la Independencia, now much reduced.

Learn about the park's and neighborhood's histories.

Crowds at the Parque Bicentenario´s Inauguration.

At night, the park's lights create a show against the hills.

Ramps and stairways sliced into neighboring Parque de la Independencia.

Lots of rules, as always.

Why stairs, instead of ramps?

Nearby, the iconic Torre Colpatria.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

It's Ugly, But It's Progressing

The view from the Museo de Arte Moderno.

The long-delayed platform being built over Calle 26, connecting Parque de la Independencia to the Museo de Arte Moderno, is finally taking shape. 

The project, which was halted for a long time because of a lawsuit by neighbors concerned about damage to the park, is far from perfect. Because the platform is several meters above the park level, it serves as much as an obstacle as a bridge. It's hard to see how they'll construct access to the platform without cutting another slice out of the park.

This area used to be green park. Will they cement it over to create access to the platform?

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

A Sad Snack in Independence Park

Today I came upon what should have been a purely cheery scene in Parque de la Independencia: a bunch of kids on a school outing. Then I noticed what they were eating. Chips, soda pop, candies. Here and there a sandwich. Not an apple, orange or a banana in sight. If it it's not highly-processed and doesn't come out of a plastic package, these kids won't touch it.

In two decades a lot of these kids will be fighting obesity, diabetes, even heart disease. And then who'll be to blame? The school? Their parents?

In addition to junk food's health damage, it also maximizes the volume of trash produced.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Futbol in sthe Park

Bogotá has been transmitting the soccer World Cup on big screens in several public parks, including Parque de la Independencia, in these photos. And folks have been turning out to watch - even in the rain.

I also saw a presence of police - or, at least, city crowd minders. That might be a good thing for Colombia's next victory, assuming there is one. After all, during the celebrations over Colombia's 3-0 trampling of Greece on Saturday 10 people were killed.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

What is Funambulos?

Hanging out in Parque de la Independencia.

Perhaps you've passed by the Parque de la Independencia recently and noticed these strange figures hanging in the trees. They aren't fallen extraterrestrials or earthly visitors who smoked too much of that good stuff.

Rather, they were made by the Funambulos Theater, also known as Teatro La Macarena, located uphill in the Bosque Izquierdo section of the La Macarena neighborhood.

Funambulos, an experimental theater supported by the city and private funders, held an open house this month coinciding with the Iberoamerican Theater Festival.

A figure cheers up the park's vandalized merry-go-round.

The theater also decorated Parque de la Independencia's once-handsome merry-go-round, whose seats were stolen last year.

Funambulos Theater in Bosque Izquierdo.

Funambulos' attic, with a curious floor.

The interior of Los Funambulos.

A photo shoot in Fundambulos.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Finally, a Bridge to Somewhere

Concrete beams and a construction crane to lift them across Calle 26, where they will connect Parque de la Independencia to the modern art museum.

After a multi-year legal battle between the city and neighborhood residents, work has finally restarted on the bridge over Calle 26, between Parque de la Independencia and the Museum of Modern Art.

Neighbors had sued to stop the project, objecting in particular to the way it invades the park. It was halted for years while the court battle played out. The neighbors are right about the project's poor design. But, now that it's been started, it seems like the best solution is to finish it once and for all. The long-suffering park used to be much larger, but sections were sliced off as the city built avenues on its western and southern sides.

The idea of expanding the park above the avenue came from famed architect Rogelio Salmona, who also designed the Torres del Parque behind the nearby bullfighting stadium. Ironically, many of those fighting the bridge project live in those towers.

The section of Calle 26 between Carrera 3 and Carrera 7 will be shut for three months while huge beams are lifted into place. The platform, which is to contain green space and areas for cultural activities, is supposed to be completed in early 2016.

Three neighborhood residents - part of the group which fought to stop the project - watch the construction.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

The Long-Suffering Independence Park

Women walk past the vacant Universidades
TransMilenio station. 

When Independence Park was created in 1910 to commemorate the centennial of Colombia's revolution it was a marvel. Besides stretching from Bogotá's Eastern Hills west down across Ave. Septima to the Parque Centenario. The park also had an exotic collection of buildings evoking Egypt, modern industry, the fine arts and others.

"The surface of Mars, Versailles, the Crystal Palace, and European marvels before which a traveler becomes stupefied have been transported suddenly and magically to Bogotá," reported a Bogotá newspaper.

The unfinished bridge connecting Independence Park,
on the left, to the Museum of Modern Art, on the right.

But that was the park's high point. In the 1950s the 26th St. avenue to the airport was slashed thru the park, amputating its southern side. Later, other avenues were expanded, completely erasing the Parque Centenario. Crime also gave Independence park a bad reputation. And the marvelous buildings were removed, except for the 'Kiosk of Light,' now a tourist information office.

In recent years, the park has been restored and become a popular gathering spot. And, together with the project expanding TransMilenio to the airport, city planners decided to carry out a plan by architect Rogelio Salmona to expand and partially restore the park by roofing over 26th St., connecting Independence Park to the nearby Museum of Modern Art.

Las Torres del Parque stand behind the bullfighting stadium.

Salmona's plan was terribly expensive and elaborate, but will be good news for the park and its users. However, some neighbors objected to the project and to the associated cutting down of some trees. A group of residents of the nearby Torres del Parque, which rise behind the bullfighting stadium, filed a lawsuit which has stopped the work.

It's a real pity for long-suffering Independence Park. The avenue's bridging project appears to be terribly expensive and poorly designed - it forms more of a wall than a bridge - but it is already halfway finished and demolishing it is the worst possible option.

The half-finished bridge over 26th St. connects
Independence Park, on the right,
to the Museum of Modern Art, on the left. 

And today's El Tiempo adds another element, reporting that the stalled bridging project has also blocked the extension of the TransMilenio corridor east to University station. That's depriving thousands of university students and neighborhood residents of transport which their taxes have helped pay for.

The residents of the Torres del Parque - who have also filed a second lawsuit which prevent musical concerts in the bullfighting stadium - should face the fact that their delicate sensivities are damaging the quality of life for many thousands of other Bogotá residents. Or, if the residents won't see this, then the judges handling these absurd court cases should, and toss them out.

It's also worth observing that the bridge project is a good ways away from the Torres del Parque, and not even visible from most of the apartments. A bit ironically, like the avenue-bridging scheme, the Torres del Parque were designed by Rogelio Salmona.

View from the Museum of Modern Art of the half-finished 26th Street bridge.

Police stand in Independence Park beside the wall of the unfinished roof over Calle 26. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours