Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Sunday, September 1st, dozens of people enjoyed a Botargas competition conducted by the Vallarta Youth Institute (IVJ), as part of the Vía Recreactiva activities Mayor Ramon Guerrero Martinez requested to be held to motivate Puerto Vallarta citizens to use the city's open spaces for outdoor exercise.

Out of the eight Botargas that participated in the entertaining yet hampered race, it was Peter Piper Pizza's dinosaur who received the first place trophy from Vallarta Youth Institute Director Oscar Daniel Zamora Cuevas, and Alderman Luis Ernesto Munguia.

The IVJ Director was satisfied with the public response and hopes that gradually more and more locals and tourists will start participating in Vía Recreactiva activities. "We are hoping that different departments of city hall, the private sector, and the general public will become increasingly involved in these activities. The Mayor is interested in the ideas that the institute has and is keeping the doors open for more Vía Recreactiva activities, so we will keep working and planning the next event," he said.

Oscar Daniel Zamora said that in the coming weeks "Youth for Vallarta" will begin visiting different colonias to restore public spaces on the first Saturday of every month. "We intend to spend these Saturdays rehabilitating public spaces, cleaning up the parks, painting the courts, and encouraging the kids to 'leave their footprints' through the creation of artistic murals," explained the director of the IVJ. The first neighborhood to be visited is Vallarta 500 which has a park where the grass needs mowing and the benches need painting.

Over the next six months, the Vallarta Youth Institute, in coordination with the departments of Parks and Gardens and Public Works plan to visit many different colonias. They encourage Puerto Vallarta's youth to join this program to help make our city even more beautiful.