San Miguelito: Decades of Growth Outpace Development, Leaving Residents Demanding Better Quality of Life

San Miguelito, a district born out of an urban emergency 56 years ago, continues to grapple with unmet needs for its over 300,000 residents. Persistent issues like water scarcity, incomplete development projects, and insufficient public spaces highlight the ongoing struggles in a district that has seen rapid population growth without commensurate urban development. "It was something beautiful in the time I grew up... now it's not," laments María Rosa Morán, a lifelong resident of Paraíso. She remembers a different San Miguelito, where streets served as vibrant community hubs for children playing and neighbors gathering. Today, the reality is starkly different, with areas like Subida al Cielo street experiencing irregular access to potable water. "Seven, eight months without water. It goes out at seven in the morning and doesn't come back until eight, nine, or ten at night," one resident reported.

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It was something beautiful in the time I grew up... now it's not.

The municipality attributes these deficiencies to decades of unplanned growth. Gabriela Rogers, head of Territorial Planning, stated that San Miguelito "has grown without planning, and that is part of the reasons why we do not have basic services covered nor the spaces we need for recreation. But we are not late, we are in time to correct it." The district's first Territorial Planning Plan aims to guide future development and reverse this trend. The lack of adequate infrastructure is also evident in the closure of the Orlando Winter gymnasium for six years due to unfinished renovation work. The contract for its remodeling expired in February, leaving the community without a key social gathering space. Iván Osorio, a local resident, recalled how the gymnasium was once a central point for sports, discussions, and community celebrations.

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Seven, eight months without water. It goes out at seven in the morning and doesn't come back until eight, nine, or ten at night.

Financially, San Miguelito faces its own hurdles. Despite having the second-highest municipal budget in the metropolitan area, the article suggests that funding remains a significant challenge in addressing the district's deep-rooted problems. The administration is focused on implementing the territorial plan to improve services and create necessary recreational spaces, aiming to bring back a better quality of life for its residents.

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San Miguelito has grown without planning, and that is part of the reasons why we do not have basic services covered nor the spaces we need for recreation. But we are not late, we are in time to correct it.