Posted on 12/27/2011 1:42:22 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Officials in Colombia's second-largest city on Monday have inaugurated a giant, outdoor escalator for residents of one of its poorest slums.
For generations, the 12,000 residents of Medellin's tough Comuna 13, which clings to the side of a steep hillside, have had to climb hundreds of large steps authorities say is the same as going up a 28-story building.
Now they can ride an escalator, in what the mayor of Medellin said is the first massive, outdoor public escalator for use by residents of a poor area.
"It turned out very well," said Mayor Alonso Salazar.
Mr Salazar said officials from Rio de Janeiro plan to visit the Colombian city to see if such an escalator would work in that city's favelas, which also cling precariously to hillsides.
Comuna 13 residents came out to celebrate and study the $6.7 million escalator which officials say will shorten the 35-minute hike on foot up the hillside to six minutes. Use of the escalator is free.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
And now, they are going to all get fat.
“And now, they are going to all get fat.”
And it will Capitalist America’s fault.
Interesting......I wonder if “slums” in Columbia are similar to US slums where this wonderful community addition will be trashed in a matter of weeks or the local gangs will take control and start charging a fee to use it
Time will tell.....
Now they need a high speed train and broad band cable.
If it breaks down or the power goes off, all those people will be stranded.
MEDELLIN
Who needs a giant outdoor escalator when you have marching powder?
Thank GOD there aren’t many Civil Liability attorney’s in Columbia. Can you just imagine the field day they would have with something like this?
Now, how many millions of Reals or whatever did that cost? And, what is the benefit as well as the potential unintended consequence? Feel good gestures, expensive ones, always have unintended consequences.
Somebody’s going to get killed on it, for one, caught in the treads. For two, it encourages sloth and dependency. Three, it’s going to encourage further slum development as a result, and drive up the price of living nearby. Four, somebody’s going to have to maintain that thing, and it will be expensive.
Deploy an army of volunteers, require the slum dwellers to participate, encourage donated materials and bulk purchasing, and actually improve their lot by making their dwellings better and safer. Literacy volunteers, too, teach them to read and teach them basic life skills so those with the will to do so can advance out of this.
But an escalator? Huh? Somebody in government got a cut of this or owns the escalator company.
I guess it is rain proof.
No, to the contrary. They will be out there polishing it and guarding it.
Yep.
I am unable to come up with any type of cynical comment about this. Looks like a fine idea.
“...how many millions of Reals...”
Pesos
“For two, it encourages sloth and dependency.”
That might be the case here...but not in Colombia...and certainly not in Medellin. The people there have a reputation for hard work and commitment. The people will be very proud of this and will take care of it. Also, the cost to construct it is cheaper there.
“Literacy volunteers, too, teach them to read...”
It’s almost embarrassing to say this....but, in general, the educational level there is much higher than it is here these days.
Absolutely!!!!
Wrong
Light-rail for pedestrians!
I suspected as much....
I have always thought that poverty in places like South American are more of a social problem due a lack of opportunity because of government corruption rather than a innate behavior and cultural problem...like we have here in America.
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