Petroecuador invests $20.6 million in Manta's new Centenario Park

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa inaugurated the new Parque Centenario in Manta on June 29, a significant urban and recreational development funded by EP Petroecuador with an investment of $20.6 million. This project, a collaboration with the Manta Municipality, revitalizes 16 hectares of coastal land in the La Poza sector and is projected to serve more than 300,000 inhabitants.

The park's inauguration aligns with the government's strategy to enhance public infrastructure with social and tourism benefits in the Manabí province. It aims to solidify Manta's position as a key economic and tourism hub. The Parque Centenario features an open-air theater, a civic plaza, children's play areas, food courts, restaurants, a viewpoint, an urban beach, a central fountain, parking facilities, and an administrative building, designed to be a central gathering place and a draw for national and international visitors.

Environmental considerations were integral to the project, with plans to create 7.2 hectares of green spaces, reduce urban noise pollution, and treat approximately 3,000 cubic meters of wastewater that would otherwise be discharged into Tarqui beach. The project was executed under an agreement where Petroecuador receives municipal tax exemptions for 50 years, while the Manta Municipality covers VAT costs and commits to providing training programs for Petroecuador staff and local communities.

Petroecuador highlighted that this investment demonstrates the allocation of hydrocarbon revenues towards territorial development, social integration, and urban improvement. The company maintains significant operations in the Manta region, underscoring its commitment to the area's economic and social progress.