For the last few years the city government has installed a temporary ice rink in the Zocalo, which has always been a little controversial. For a city with no money to spend, but a program of going green, the expense of maintaining a frozen sheet of ice in a warm city square is neither cheap nor green. But I have to say it is always popular – the queues of people waiting their turn are incredible.
This year, there are not one, nor two, but three ice rinks. A large one, a kids one and a go kart type one. But it hasn’t had the controversy this year. The huge Christmas Tree on Reforma has hogged the limelight as far as extravagant expense is concerned. Personally, I’d like to know the cost of each to the city. I suspect the expense of putting up the tree was contributed to substantially, perhaps even wholly, by Pepsi. The ice rink? That must cost more, and I don’t see quite such blatant sponsorship attached to it. Does anyone know where the figures are? Or is this another case of the city finances being as transparent as the ice the citizens are skating on….?
Sadly, Large expensive projects are less for public good and more of an excuse for city corporators to siphon public money from government coffers.
In the case of this rink, I think it is more about image building by the mayor with an eye to a presidential run…
Back in 2007 the cost was of 16 million pesos (roughly 1,250,000 usd) and the government claimed that it had all been covered by sponsors (source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/ciudad/87908.html). Not sure if this is still the case though.
Thanks for the link. I hope it is still the case, in which case I have no problem with the rink.
Wow! What a beautiful picture! Did you stitch that together from multiple shots, or are you the proud owner of a super-wide angle lens?
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where we have plenty of free ice right about now. Charles River is freezing early this year, and a big snowstorm is forecast for tonight.
It’s about half a dozen shots stitched together. Using Microsoft ICE. Although Windows Live Photo Gallery now has that built in, if you’re looking for a new photo management tool!