Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The Amapas Neighborhood Association (ANA), a group of Mexican and ex-pat residents and business owners that work together to enhance the quality of life through improvements in security, streets and infrastructure, and responsible development, brings us up to date on what's happening in Colonia Amapas this Summer.

ANA is the official representative of Colonia Amapas to City Hall, so if you want your voice heard and your concerns addressed, membership in the Amapas Neighborhood Association is your best bet.

Hortensias Repaving Project – Part 2

Your ANA: Together, Getting Things Done for Amapas! In December, ANA added two new, grooved cement tracks in lower Hortensias, providing better traction and smoothing the ride. Next week, we'll begin widening the pavement at the 90 degree turn, coming up from the highway, just before Villas Loma Linda. A wider curve should mean that two cars can pass each other without risking their side-view mirrors.

Highway Sidewalk – Phase One – Gets Going in July/August

ANA is committed to creating an all-weather sidewalk along the west side of Highway 200, from Conchas Chinas, north to Calle Pulpito, so residents and visitors can get to the beach or town without having to walk on the highway. Thanks to Diane & Glenn Walsh, and our members & friends in Paramount Bay, ANA has the 100,000 pesos necessary to complete Phase One – from Villa Tita to the Macuaz driveway, north of Paramount Bay. When our snowbirds return in the Fall, we hope they'll see what we've accomplished, and help us fund the rest of the Highway Sidewalk.

If Your Building Wants to Get Trash Off The Street, ANA Can Help

To help keep trash off our streets between pickups, your ANA offers a partnership program: we'll get City permission, handle construction, and split the cost to build a trash containment structure that keeps your trash out of sight and away from stray animals and dumpster divers. Just completed: Villas de la Colina II and ANA partnered on a new 'trash shack.' For more information, contact Viviana at admin(at)amapaspv.com.

Los Pinos Erosion Control Update

In May, members of your ANA Board met with Mayor Davalos in his office. We reviewed the almost two-year history of our reports and requests regarding the undermined Los Pinos pavement, and presented him with an entire file of photos, documents and Civil Protection dictamen of risk to the street. In June, after a few false starts with others, ANA hired local Civil Engineer Antonio Mercurio to analyze the Los Pinos erosion/landslide and prepare an independent report detailing his observations, conclusions, assessment of risks and hazards, and recommendations. We've received Ing. Mercurio's report, which adds weight and urgency to the Civil Protection Dictamen of Risk already on file with City Hall. ANA has submitted the report to Mayor Davalos, Obras Publicas, Proteccion Civil, Planning and Transito. We'll keep you posted. Both English-language and original Spanish versions of the Civil Engineer's report can be found HERE on our ANA website.

Summer School – 'Policía 101'

Your ANA is conducting free English language classes for our friends on the Tourist Police force. The object: better communication and friendlier interactions between the police and English-speaking residents and visitors. The police love it, and so do we. ANA Administrator Viviana Teston and member Steve Ross, with the help of member volunteer Carol Moore, conduct classes every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, helping a total of 90 (!) Vallarta police improve their basic English language skills.

Help Wanted: Steve is on a month's vacation, and Viviana could use another temporary teaching assistant. If you're in town and interested in helping out, please contact Viviana at admin(at)amapaspv.com.

Meeting with Police Chief & Director of Transito

Members of your ANA Board hosted Police Chief Jorge Hernandez Valencia and the Director of Transito, Everardo "Tigre" Rubio, at a recent breakfast meeting at Fusion Restaurant. They thanked the ANA for providing English classes to 90 Tourist Police.

Security in Amapas and the immediate police and ambulance response of the new 'VEA' community participation program, described as 'Neighborhood Watch on Steroids' with a WhatsApp twist, were also hot topics. We reported the neighbors' sense of low crime and local safety.

Chief Valencia asked if Amapas could provide a 'quadrimoto' - a four-wheel motorcycle - for police use on our beaches and on crowded local streets where standard police trucks can't be as effective.

ANA proposed reworking the topes on Highway 200 near the Subway and Oxxo to discourage rogue motorists from crossing into oncoming traffic lanes to avoid them. As a result, we'll be extending the topes south of Callejon de la Igualdad - where speeding north-bound traffic comes around a blind curve - across the road, eliminating the incentive to change lanes... and removing the topes north of the intersection, where speeding taxis and blocked sight-lines are much less of a problem. We'll be working with Obras Publicas to get that done ASAP, as well as adding a 'Warning: Topes Ahead' sign.

Also on the schedule for September: refreshing the highway crosswalks with longer-lasting (and, of course, more expensive) paint.

Our thanks to our host, ANA Board Member for Security Gene Mendoza, and his Fusion Restaurant staff for a great breakfast and lots of coffee!

And, Speaking of Crosswalks...

People joke about traffic regulations in Mexico being 'just a suggestion.' But that's pretty much true of crosswalks in our adopted country. Pedestrians can't count on vehicles to stop, especially on a major highway, and even more especially coming around a blind curve at speed.

So, even with fresh yellow lines on the highway, it's 'Crosswalker, Beware!'

Transito has placed our Highway 200 crosswalks at points of maximum visibility, so both pedestrians and oncoming drivers have a chance to see one another and take evasive action before it's too late.

Like your mother said: Be careful crossing streets. Even ones with crosswalks.

Pulpito Drag Derby Breaks Attendance Record!

This year's fourth annual Pulpito Drag Derby, a major event in Vallarta Pride, was, by all accounts, a big success. Attendance nearly doubled at our 'block party' from 2016, filling Calle Pulpito from Olas Altas to Amapas with so many spectators that they became an extra obstacle during the Drag Race.

New Challenges this year included 'Lip Sync 4 Your Life' and a 40-foot Climbing Wall, but popular Challenges from last year - The Donald Trump Piñata Bash and Live-Action Squirt Gun Gallery - returned, delighting (and sometimes soaking) the crowd.

A fund-raising event for the Amapas Neighborhood Association and the Amapas Junta Vecinal, with all proceeds going to Beach and Business Area improvements, the Derby generated over $62,000 Pesos for our streets and infrastructure.

A more detailed Drag Derby Report and Income/Expense Statement can be found HERE on our ANA website.

Coming Soon: ANA's New 'Sponsor Brochure'

ANA and Membership Board Member Sylvia Toy are making it easier to recognize restaurants, bars, and other business sponsors that give ANA members a special discount. This handy free booklet lists ANA Sponsors, along with ads spelling out what they offer us ANA members. The brochure makes the businesses easier to find, listing each sponsor's address, email, website and phone, so it's easy to call ahead and make reservations. Sponsors usually offer at least a 10 percent discount to members, and you should be prepared to show your ANA membership card. They ask that we pay in cash and tip on the total - a small price to pay! Our limited-run First Edition will be out later this month, delivered to Full Member Buildings for convenient pickup, and also available at the ANA office. An updated High Season Edition will be out in November.

ANA: Neighborhood Association Without Borders

Thanks to recent changes in our bylaws, no matter where you live or work, you can now support ANA's mission and projects, participate in our many social events and activities, receive our email newsletters and updates - and even vote and hold office - just by signing up and paying annual dues of 1,500 pesos/family!

Be part of a neighborhood organization that gets things done! Stop by our new office at Hotel San Marino - 111 Rodolfo Gomez - and pay with cash or credit card. Viviana will issue your new 2017 ANA Membership card on the spot, and you can score Member Benefits discounts at many local bars, restaurants and businesses - she'll give you a current list. You can also join and renew online. Contact Viviana at admin(at)amapaspv.com for an appointment or further details.

July Amapas Meet & Greet - Save The Date!

On Friday, July 21, from 6-8 pm, Jim Davis and David Wilhoit will be hosting what's billed as "The Cheesiest Amapas Event Ever!" It's a competitive wine and cheese party - complete with some really cheesy prizes - that you won't want to miss! Keep an eye on your inbox for invites and details.