Rosario’s “recreational streets”
I just wanted to share a simple and yet great idea, that for the last few years have taken place in my city: Rosario, Argentina. This is “Calle Recreativa”, recreational streets.
What is it about? It’s simple: engines are forbidden. Thus, on Sunday morning, some streets in the city (the ones with the more beautiful views), are empty of cars and motorcycles, and full of people.
People that walk, run, skate o cycle. People with exercised sculptural bodies and people with office-like bodies. Families, kids, teenagers, young and elder adults.
As in most cities of Latin America, Rosario has been thought by and for car drivers. But, for a few hours every Sunday, the nicer parts of the city becomes a place for people. There are signs that read:
Hoy no pases con tu vehículo. Pasá vos.
Motor vehicles are forbidden. But you’re welcome. (Free translation).
Last Sunday, my 6 and 8-year-old kids and me, rode our bike for 16km. Part of the journey went through “Calle Recreativa”, and some other parts throughr cycling lanes. We live on a neighbourhood quite far from downtown, and yet we can get safely to touristic places in the city by bike.
That’s a thing I couldn’t do as a kid: my father would never have taken us on such a dangerous ride. In fact, in most parts of the city Paraná river was hidden, it was a sad and ugly neighbourhood. And traffic wasn’t safe for cyclists, let alone cyclist kids.
And I can take my children there because, step by step, we’re building a people-centered city. I say “we” because, despite being a governmental project, we should take into consideration that the initiative would have hardly be continued if citizens hadn’t take the streets as their own every Sunday.
Of course, this is far from panacea. The city has more urgent problems (namely criminal violence and huge inequality). And this doesn’t solve that issues. Or maybe it does, in a way. Calle Recreativa is a moment when people from different social classes and ages share the public space, where everyone is willing and able to participate. It is not enough, but certainly necessary.
Nowadays, kid’s sedentary lifestyle is a worrying problem, and having this opportunity is really great.
It’s a pity that I couldn’t enjoy Calle Recreativa with my dad when I was a kid. It’s so good that I can now enjoy it with my children. And luckily, many times Grandpa joins us.
These pictures were taken while riding my bike. Some of them are not really good, but I wanted to share them all the same. Keep scrolling to see some more places in Rosario.
