Authorities from both institutions gave the go ahead to an initiative that seeks to improve the quality of life of the community.
Work jointly and collaboratively to promote the implementation and care of urban parks in the Antofagasta region, agreed by the Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN) and the Regional Ministerial Secretariat of Housing and Urban Planning of Antofagasta, in a high-impact initiative that seeks improve the environment and quality of life of the population.
Through an alliance, both institutions will develop actions and products aimed at managing economic, human and technical resources to establish in the area the “Regional Strategy for the Implementation of Urban Parks”, promoted at the national level by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (Minvu ), through the National Urban Parks Policy.
The idea is to promote the creation of a system of urban parks with local identity and integrated with the natural system of the cities, for the enjoyment of the community, and that also considers key aspects of the desert climate, such as the efficient use and reuse of the resource. water and energy efficiency, both in its design, construction and management, contributing to sustainability, mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The design of the new parks will have a multiplicity of uses, both recreational, sports, social integration, cultural activities and entrepreneurship fairs, among others.
ALLIANCE
The document that approved the initiative was made official by authorities of both institutions, headed by the rector of the UCN, Dr. Rodrigo Alda Varas; and by the regional ministerial secretary of Housing and Urban Planning, Hernán Rodríguez Baeza.
“It is an initiative that occurs within the framework of improving public space and urban squares, and is focused on sectors that have had fewer opportunities. From that perspective, it seems to us that the contribution that the UCN can make, through its School of Architecture, with its academics and undergraduate students, will generate an important result that will be materialized in the improvement of the quality of life.”said Rector Alda.
The authority added that another aspect also has to do with the possibility of implementing a diploma for officials of the Seremi of Housing and Urban Planning, which will favor the standards of human capital formation, in a collaboration that can be expanded to other areas. such as computing and management.
The regional ministerial secretary of Housing and Urban Planning of the Antofagasta region, Hernán Rodríguez Baeza, also valued the implementation of this collaborative work. “We signed an important collaboration commitment with the School of Architecture of the Universidad Católica del Norte, which involves working together, especially in the area of urban parks. The students will make a diagnosis, contributions, and ideas, and we will facilitate the possibility of professional internships at our institution. It is a work forward, doors are opening for academia and public institutions to generate alliances, progress and commitments, based on the sustainable development of the region”he pointed out.
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
The director of the UCN School of Architecture, Dr. Claudio Galeno Ibaceta, highlighted the initiative, which directly benefits public spaces in the area. “It involves carrying out studies, analyzing the current state of urban parks, making proposals and completing a diploma on landscaping and arid zones. The School of Architecture will develop a series of activities that will include workshops and courses, in an effort that has to do with improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of Antofagasta.”he concluded.
On the occasion, the contribution of the academic and former director of the UCN School of Architecture, Dr. José Guerra Ramírez, who was one of the main promoters of the initiative, was also highlighted. Likewise, different aspects involved in the agreement were announced, such as the development of a workshop that carries out a diagnosis of access to urban parks, in terms of universal accessibility, condition of pavements, pedestrian crossings, public transport routes, bus stops. , cycle paths, lighting, among others; that results in a plan, mapping or diagrams of the information collected on the ground.
It was also considered to prepare an academic proposal for the integration of existing parks and a proposal with the location of possible new parks in the city of Antofagasta. Added to this is the development of a workshop or theoretical branch that works with the data obtained from the sensorization of the Villa Esperanza Park in Antofagasta, which allows the interpretation of environmental data, allowing the improvement of the sector according to the observed data. Both parties also committed to carrying out two activities: Green Infrastructure Workshop and Green Infrastructure Seminar.
