Cuitláhuac Park

Cuitláhuac Park - ©

Cuitláhuac Park

Status

completed

City

Mexico City

Main actors

City Government, Regional Government

Project area

Metropolitan Area

Duration

2019 - 2022

Cuitláhuac Park, located in the eastern part of Mexico City, is a part of the "Sembrando Pargques" (“Sowing Parks”) programme and was constructed using 85% recycled materials from a former garbage dump. This comprehensive project encompasses environmental, architectural and urban elements, and features the use of rainwater for urban sustainability. The project has created wetlands, which have increased local flora and fauna, improved water and air quality, and reduced the risk of flooding. Pollinator gardens have been planted, which will help to capture CO2, produce oxygen, and increase humidity in the area.

For further information about the case study, click here.

Sustainable Development Goals

City information

City

Mexico City, Mexico

Size and population development

The population of Mexico City was recorded at approximately 8.9 million in 2015. The Greater City of Mexico recorded a population of approximately 21.6 million in 2018 and is expected to reach in excess of 23 million by 2030 according to the UN populations forecast. The City has great inequalities, with areas of affluence and conspicuous consumption existing nearby areas plagued with water born gastrointestinal infections, while air pollution affects all inhabitants of the valley City, with respiratory illnesses being a major issue.

Population composition

Of the millions who call Mexico City home, a significant amount of them belong to Mexico’s many indigenous peoples, including Nahuatl, Otomi, Mixtec, Zapotec and Mazahau. Additionally, the city is home to many expatriates and immigrants, largely from the Americans, North, Central and South, as well as the Caribbean. The average age is of 33 years.

Main functions

Mexico City is the oldest capital city in the American continent and one of the most economically active centres. The city extends across 607.22 square kilometres and is located in the Valley of Mexico at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. It houses many of the country’s most prestigious cultural and educational centres, including universities such as UNAM and IPN, as well as theatres, libraries, operas, stadiums and auditoriums. The city also boasts many archaeological sites and museums that expose the pre-Hispanic heritage of the city, over which the Spanish conquerors imposed their new capital. Other sites of touristic and religious importance, like the main Cathedral at the Zócalo plaza (where the National and local governments are located), are examples of the Baroque and Neoclassical architecture styles that marked the city.

Main industries / business

Mexico City is undoubtedly the economic centre of the country, contributing 17 percent of the national GDP. Tertiary sector industries (services) comprehend almost 90 percent of the annual GDP, with the city excelling in the commercial and financial sectors (Mexico City houses the headquarters of most of the banks in the country, as well as the Mexican Stock Exchange). Other main industries include media companies, transport (privatized airlines and bus companies), and government activities.

Sources for city budget

Drawn from a progressive income tax, Mexico City’s budget is decided by the local Legislative Assembly, and the ceiling of public debt agreed upon by the Chamber of the Union, the legislative power of the Federal Government.

Political structure

Until the year of 2016, Mexico City was a Federal District, and one of the thirty-two entities into which the country is divided. In its search for autonomy from the ruling of Federal government over local situations, the city promoted changes in the national constitution that have altered its status and name since the year 2016. Now, Mexico City has become an autonomous entity with its own political constitution. The main differences from its previous status has to do with modifications in governance: the city now has 16 mayoralties belonging to each of the sixteen boroughs; and the Legislative Assembly was transformed into a Local Council with the same inherence in Federal decisions as every other state in the country. The City’s head is elected by popular vote and is charged with choosing the chief of police and the Attorney General, a task previously carried out by the President of the Republic.

Administrative structure

Mexico City is divided into 16 delegaciones, or boroughs, for administrative purposes. The boroughs are not equivalent to municipalities, yet they possess administrative structures comparable to these. In each borough, the mayors are tasked with ensuring that the necessary utilities and services are provided. The poorer boroughs are in constant struggle due to the lack of potable water, dignified housing, and medical services. The boroughs must answer to the head of government who represents its executive branch, and local councils must approval their budgets.

Website

https://www.cdmx.gob.mx/

Background and objectives

This project has a general objective to address the effects of climate change, counteract the loss of biodiversity, promote urban resilience and contribute to the well-being and fulfillment of the human right to a healthy environment, water and public space, as well as:

Increase, improve and rehabilitate the surface of green areas in the eastern zone of the city.
Establish quality green areas for the recreation and enjoyment of citizens.
Provide green and blue infrastructure solutions to increase and foster biodiversity, native flora and fauna populations, integrated water and soil management, as well as waste recycling.

Implementation

The park comprises an area of 145 hectares and is located in Iztapalapa, the most populated area in Mexico City. Prior to the 1990s, the area was an open-air garbage dump. It was later, transformed into a recreational park, but without a proper soil management plan in place, the ground began to collapse, causing surface deformations and leading to the park’s deterioration.

In 2019, the Government of Mexico City resolved to revitalize this area with an ecological vision aimed at creating a dignified and inclusive public space. As one of the first spaces included in the "Sembrando Parques Program," it contributes to rebuilding the social fabric by offering green infrastructure and services that provide citizens with safe opportunities for recreation involving nature, culture, and sports.

The park’s first and second stages of recovery and rescue have been completed, positioning this project as a pilot for circular economy within the city. Almost 90% of the materials used in its construction were sourced from different types of waste such as PET and other recycled plastics, in addition to tons of crushed rubble for soil stabilization.

The project incorporated the use of rainwater for urban sustainability by creatiing wetlands (lakes), which in turn increased flora and fauna, improved water and air quality, and reduced the risk of flooding in the area. In addition, pollinator gardens were established, generating conditions for forestation, CO2 capture, oxygen production and increased humidity.

Four ecosystems, pollinator gardens, forum, hydraulic pavilion, wetlands, wastewater treatment plant, willows, lakes, vegetative slopes, children's playground, skatepark-bowl, baseball field, canine area, kart track, forum, baseball field, plazas and distribution walkways were built in the park.

Financing and resources

The Mexico City government funded the project through the Secretariat of Works and Services (SOBSE) and the Municipality of Iztapalapa, collaborating with various city government secretariats (SEDEMA, SACMEX, SEMOVI, SECTEI, etc.). The projects’ investment totaled 469 million pesos (approximately 24.8 million US dollars).

Results and impacts

Soil restoration and regeneration
Increased biodiversity and pollinator fauna
Water management, management and treatment
Waste management, 85% of the project was carried out using recycled materials: 1,100,000 tonnes of construction waste, 139,000 tonnes of milling waste, 19,593 tonnes of recycled plastic and 15,550 tonnes of recycled PET were recycled for: paving stones, substrates, stabilization meshes, furniture, etc.
Improvement of public, sports and educational spaces in the eastern part of the city.
A decrease in social inequalities in the city.

Barriers and challenges

The main challenges were:

High concentrations of pollutants in the soil
Constant need for investment for the monitoring and maintenance of green areas and built spaces.
Marginalization and high social vulnerability
Lack of water
Abandonment of facilities, vandalism and insecurity.
Loss of infiltration areas, humidity and biodiversity.
Disagreements with the community and different stakeholders regarding their diverse needs and particularities.
Shift from using traditional techniques to green infrastructure techniques.
High maintenance costs over short periods of time.

Lessons learned and transferability

Intersectoral work (government and academia) for the recovery of contaminated areas through improvements in the planning and execution of projects.
Implementation of infrastructural techniques for soil management: bioremediation, technosoils, etc.
Waste management and recycling
Improving biological interactions and public space