Los Cabos, BCS. _ The accelerated expansion of the cities is driving people away from essential public services, he warned. José Antonio Torre Medina Moradirector of the Center for the Future of Cities of the Tecnológico de Monterrey, in the Summit 2024 organized by the Sea of Cortez Forum.
Torre Medina Mora pointed out that cities, spaces of connection and community development, today face critical challenges such as displacement to the peripheries and the increase of urban voids.
He explained that the growth corresponds to different socioeconomic and governmental factors, but that this, so far, has not been matched by the search for sustainability.
"When we talk about the future of cities, about where we want to go, let's look at where we are today, because the way we are today should resemble or at least set a path of where we want to go," said the expert during the Summit 2024 organized by Foro Mar de Cortés.
According to a study by the Center for the Future of Cities, while the urban centers remain deserts, the peripheries are home to lower-income populations that depend on essential services such as hospitals and schools, which are often absent in these areas.
"We are sending to the peripheries the people of lower economic levels, who are those who most need the services that cities offer, such as universities, public hospitals, public schools and parks. In the peripheries there is usually not that," warned Torre Medina Mora.
"(Consequently) urban voids are being generated that are filled with abandonment and violence."
Models of urban regeneration in northwestern Mexico
During the event, civic initiatives for urban regeneration in three cities were presented: Hermosillo, Mazatlan y Mexicali.
- Hermosillo: Ricardo León Miller, of Koval Inmobiliaria, described actions such as the Las Riberas project, which encourages reforestation and the use of treated water in green areas, promoting a sustainable approach to urban development.
- Mazatlan: Martín Gavica Sáenz, from the Historical Center's Governing Council, shared the effort to revitalize the city's downtown with artistic and cultural activities, seeking to make this space inhabited, and not only occupied by businesses.
- MexicaliJuan Ignacio Guajardo Araiza, of Mexicali Gran Visión, highlighted restoration projects in parks and urban areas to encourage a culture of community participation.
With these examples, the participants of the Summit 2024 explore alternatives to transform urban voids into living and sustainable spaces, promoting models that inspire other cities to replicate the community and shared responsibility approach.
