Controversy over the Don Julio grill garden in a square: what the neighbors and the president of the Commune say

03/03/2021 15:57

• Clarín.com

• Cities

Updated 03/03/2021 3:57 PM

The controversy continues.

The Don Julio grill project to make

a vegetable garden in a Palermo square

, for which he signed a sponsorship agreement with Commune 14, raises voices for and against.

There are neighbors who defend the initiative

, because they affirm that the corner of Soler and Gurruchaga was always conflictive and unsafe.

But

others question it

, because they think that a public space is being left in the hands of a private one.

From the Commune, on the other hand, they maintain that the garden will benefit the neighborhood and that the space will not cease to be public.

What do the residents of the block say where the urban garden work is progressing?

In general terms, they say that the "Luna de Frente" square had its complexities: it

was unsafe

and at times it was occupied by people living on the streets.

They also say that many times garbage was collected in the surroundings and there were foul smells.

In addition, they assure that there were meetings until dawn and that the students of a circus school used the square as an extension of that institution.

At the same time, they affirm that the boys of the neighborhood used the games little. 

“In 11 years, my son never used the hammocks in this square.

And in recent years, I

preferred to go around the entire block so as not to go through that sidewalk

”, a neighbor told

Clarín

.

The dividing wall of your home overlooks the square.

Its windows are barred, because several times it suffered from insecurity.

He strongly agreed with the construction of this garden, because he has confidence in the owner of Don Julio.

"He is also our neighbor, he lives and works in the neighborhood," the woman concluded.

The residents of the Luna de Enfrente square, located in Soler and Gurruchaga, affirm that it was unsafe.

Photo Rafael Mario Quinteros

When the controversy broke out, the owner of the grill, Pablo Rivero, had explained: "Don Julio is making

a donation

, we put everything on our hands. The square will also improve, courses will be given, the neighbors will be able to collaborate and To sow, there will be benches for them to sit down to drink a mate and enjoy the smells of the crops. This project does not remove green, on the contrary, it contributes ".

A gastronomic merchant, also very close to the square, says that he decided to shorten the hours of the premises due to the bad times that happened in these years.

“We started to close earlier, as soon as the sun goes down.

Then it gets very dense.

Hopefully this work improves the environment

”, he says.

A neighbor joins the conversation and is categorical: "At last we are going to get rid of this square that was not used by a child."

Some residents hope that the urban garden will improve the surroundings of Soler and Gurruchaga.

Photo Andrés D'Elía

All the neighbors consulted by this means agree that there were problems of insecurity.

However, not everyone agrees with the change in the use of the square: "

It is unusual that the improvement is left to a private party

, who also did not have the kindness to communicate to the neighbors what they planned to do. The debate exceeds by Much to Don Julio and the Plaza Luna de Enfrente, "says an indignant neighbor from Calle Soler.

On Wednesday morning, a truck plotted with the City's logo arrived at the site with workers who unloaded dirt.

At the same time, officials from Comuna 14

hung the first poster

that officially announces what is happening in that corner of Palermo.

Right in front of the square there is also the restaurant's butcher shop, where they sell to the public the cuts that can also be eaten in Don Julio.

In the garden there will also be compost bins where the neighbors can leave their organic waste to make a natural compost.

Photo Andrés D'Elía

Another neighbor, who lives on Gurruchaga street and also shares a dividing wall with the square, asks: "Was the square ugly, without grass, unsafe? It may be, but that

cannot be an excuse for the City to hand over the use of of public space

. It's like we don't react, we don't realize the seriousness of the event. Even with his best intentions, Don Julio is going to make use of a public space. It's delusional. They didn't even leave a hammock or a slide. Honestly many of us cannot believe the situation ”.

The president of the Communal Board 14, Martín Cantera, explains: "The communes have the capacity to sign patronage agreements for a maximum period of 5 years,

so in this case it did not have to go through the Legislature

."

In addition, he insists that the place will continue to be public and that it will benefit the neighborhood.

"The neighbors will be able to come to look for seedlings to take and make their own gardens in their homes," he anticipates.

The president of Commune 14, Martín Cantera, affirms that the agreement did not have to go through the Legislature, because the communes can sign sponsorship contracts for up to five years.

Photo Fernando de la Orden

The proposal to build an urban garden in the plaza came from Rivero, the owner of the restaurant, and was approved by five of the seven members of the Community Board on December 29.

Finally, a sponsorship agreement was signed with Chico SRL, the firm of Don Julio.

From Commune 14 they affirm that

55 m2 of green surface will be incorporated

.

As reported, the garden will have more than 30 cubic meters of land distributed in wooden terraces, where more than 30 species of plants will grow thanks to a biointensive cultivation with an automatic irrigation system.

There they will produce fruits, vegetables and aromatics that will be distributed to social institutions in the neighborhood.

There will also be an organic composting sector to produce a natural compost.

This Wednesday the wooden terraces were prepared where more than 30 species of plants will grow.

Photo Andrés D'Elía

The garden will be open

to the public

every day from 10 am to 6 pm. The residents will be able to collaborate with its care, take courses on agricultural practices and nutrition, or leave their organic waste in the compost bins.

In addition, compost and seedlings may be taken. 

NS

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