Resilient Centers

The Estuary facilitates the preparation of Resilient Centers for disasters through the installation of solar-powered electricity systems, clean and safe water, first aid equipment, and energy-efficient appliances, among other things. These Resilient Centers in the Estuary serve as empowerment spaces and refuges, if needed, during emergencies.

Introduction

On this page you will find key information about the Estuary's Resilient Centers: the Cantera Peninsula Neighborhood Development Council, the Puente Blanco Community Center, the Caimito Cultural Center, and the La Goyco Community Workshop. These centers are part of the San Juan Bay Estuary's watershed-level mitigation plan.

Pro-Development Neighborhood Council of the Cantera Peninsula

This Resilient Center is located in the Cantera Peninsula community (Las Casas sub-neighborhood, Santurce). Its resilience is evident in the installation of solar panels that allow it to maintain operations during power outages and support community emergency responses. The center offers resources and activities focused on emergency management, environmental education, and citizen empowerment, and also serves as a space for community events and services—from campaigns and fairs to recreational activities and workshops—that sustain community life on the Peninsula. The Neighborhood Council, which celebrates years of community organizing and public visibility, develops and promotes local programs (including camps and activities for children) that strengthen community participation and improve the quality of life for its residents.

Puente Blanco Community Center

The Resilient Center in Cataño is located north of the estuary watershed, in the Puente Blanco Community Center, adjacent to the Las Cucharillas Marsh. Its resilience is based on its ability to continue operating during power outages, thanks to the installation of a solar power generation system and energy storage batteries by the San Juan Bay Estuary Authority. The Resilient Center is equipped with materials for emergency management, awareness campaigns, and community empowerment for responding to emergencies. The Center also offers laundry facilities and a community kitchen with a refrigerator for storing residents' food and medications.

“From the first approach, the Estuary has been a model of good procedures for community development and has shown unconditional support when our community has needed it.”

Wanda I. Figueroa Rivera, community leader and director of the organization Comunidad Organizada de Puente Blanco, Inc.

The Estuary has partnered with the Puente Blanco Organized Community (COPB), an organization incorporated in 2009 but actively working since 1999, promoting education as a tool for community empowerment. Its headquarters are located in the Puente Blanco Community Center on the main street of that community. There, they offer tutoring, extracurricular activities, recreational activities, and environmental education.

Caimito Cultural Center

The Caimito Resilient Center is located in the southern part of the Estuary's watershed, where the Piedras River originates. It provides a space for area residents to manage emergencies, receive social welfare support, and participate in water quality assessments of the Estuary system. Its resilience lies in its ability to continue operating even without electricity, thanks to the installation of a solar power generation system and energy storage batteries by the San Juan Bay Estuary Authority. The Center also offers laundry facilities and a community kitchen. Residents can refrigerate their medications at the Center, and educational workshops are offered.

The Caimito Cultural Center began in 1990 when the community met in a community assembly. Led by Sister Teresa Géigel, they decided to create a center that would strengthen the identity of the neighborhood and of Puerto Rican people. Initially, they met at the Sor Isolina Ferré Center. In 1991, after their first assembly, the Department of Recreation and Sports transferred ownership of their current headquarters, located in the heart of Caimito. Estuario and the Caimito Cultural Center reached a collaborative agreement in 2018, following an unexpected alliance formed as a result of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

La Goyco Community Workshop

The La Goyco Resilient Center is located on Loíza Street, in the former Pedro G. Goyco School. The center's resilience is based on its ability to continue operating during power outages, thanks to the installation of a solar panel system, a community kitchen, laundry facilities, emergency response equipment, and materials for raising awareness and empowering citizens to respond to emergencies for the benefit of the community. In addition, the center offers workshops, tours, and support for the community's cultural, creative, and environmental activities.

“…the space serves as a meeting place, workshops and a starting point for efforts that seek to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood, including core issues such as garbage collection and sewer problems.”

Mariana Reyes Angleró, executive director of the La Goyco Community Workshop, Machuchal neighborhood, Santurce

The La Goyco Community Workshop is a cultural and community project created by a group of residents of Loíza Street in the Machuchal neighborhood of Santurce. It is based in the former Pedro G. Goyco School, where the community gathers to enjoy cultural events, meet, and participate in educational and environmental awareness activities. Its leaders have worked since 2015 to make this an increasingly recognized and valued space for meeting, recreation, and learning.