For those who can't get to the coast, tons of sand have been trucked into a park in Mexico City, where residents flock to spend a day at the "beach". But critics see the effort as a wasteful in a city where many residents still have no running water.
"It is the hottest time of year in Mexico City, and those who can afford it are fleeing to the coast. But while some are considering a snorkeling expedition over reefs in the turquoise Caribbean, and others are recovering from a night of excess at one of Acapulco's tacky beach discos, those left behind in the city can now also get sand in their hair."
"The capital's leftwing government is opening four "urban oases" around the city, modeled on the famous riverside beaches in Paris and Rome. The idea, says the mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, is to let the poor have some fun too. With the minimum daily wage under £2, there are plenty who cannot afford to travel any further."
Thanks to D.A. Varnado, AICP
Read the full story: Urban beach lets city's poor enjoy taste of Acapulco
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority