TALCAHUANO: The "Canal Ifarle" is the living heart of the neighborhood "Vegas de Perales" (It could even be navigable, and the sector would get a lot of "profit"... tourist-commercial $$$)

 Clearly, the 2010 Earthquake was one of the largest seismic events that occurred in the Bio-Bío Region. There's no doubt about it! And it was paradoxical how a natural tragedy ended up remodeling and reconverting the city of Talcahuano, a place that until 2009 was quite undervalued touristically speaking in the Bio-Bío Region (little taken by the penquistas). Well, the nice thing was that as a result of that, today the commune-port has a beautiful and new urban postcard, such as "La Poza" (That's right! It was the same place where the now president-elect Gabriel Boric began his electoral campaign in the Second Round). 

-

However, the same reality is still happening in some more “isolated” neighborhoods of the chorero center. Here we are going to refer to a broad sector that includes Vegas de Perales, Salinas and Gómez Carreño.  Well, this corner is located at the entrance of the urban area of ​​Talcahuano and on the right side of Avenida Colón (towards the coast).   

The site covers an area of ​​3.6 square kilometers (Km's 2), equivalent to about 3,600 hectares.

Let's start contextualizing the place.

-

This “Vegas de Perales” sector is much more rooted in Penquista reality, since a large part of its neighbors spend more time in Concepción than in Talcahuano (many only come to sleep or rest in the commune-port). Its idiosyncrasy is somewhat "distant" from the fishing identity, more rooted in the chorero center. 

Therefore, the emerging-middle class social stratum predominates. Regardless of how many sources of employment there may be in 2022, but many of the young people who live there have higher education (have completed or completed university degrees). That is why people in this sector are totally “aspirational” and urban, they are also somewhat “progressive” or well! they are people who have a social conscience (imperative in short).

-

But despite the good economic situation of the neighbors, they are somewhat isolated from the two urban centers (both Concepción and Talcahuano, even from the Plaza del Trébol Mall, which is somewhat closer to the Penquista center).    

In addition to the towns, there are several neighborhood stores spread throughout this vast sector. Its only supermarket is A-Cuenta, which is located next to Avenida Colón. Although within this sector there should be more supermarkets, since only neighborhood businesses operate. There has also been a cautious real estate growth during the last decades.

In honor of the truth, many have a vehicle at their homes.

-

There is a CESFAM clinic, and several amateur soccer fields. At least many of its internal streets have bus stops on the go ("micros"), where people can get on the bus and go to their destination.  

Just walking from Vegas de Perales to Plaza de Talcahuano is somewhat complex, unless the neighbor was in the habit of playing sports (walking a lot). But being very honest! It is more comfortable to get around by car.

The distance between Vegas de Perales and downtown Talcahuano is 6 kilometers (Imagine that this is much longer than the distance between Penco and Lirquén). Walking!? “The poor pedestrian” takes more than an hour to get there (1 hour, 10 minutes to be exact…he's going to need to drink plenty of Cachantún when they make him sit in the living room of the house).

Although many of those who live there prefer to shop at the Mall Plaza del Trebol, and also in the very center of Concepción. The distance between Vegas de Perales and the aforementioned shopping center is 6.6 kilometers. And to Conce, it's 12 kilometers (it would take you there with a half hour trip).

-

Let's get to the point!

The heart of this sector is the Ifarle canal that flows into the coast and very close to Cerro El Morro, where the Naval stadium is also located (at the height of the Interport Route, on the way to Penco). 

In reality, this watercourse extends its stretch to the Marina del Sol Casino sector, but it is important to focus "precisely" on Vegas de Perales since giving it more tourist (and commercial) potential could give this sector a little life. . 

It would not be bad to follow the example of Penco, a commune that for a few years has received many visitors who navigate through a section of its central estuary.                   

What happened in the neighboring commune of Penco, is that the municipality considered a stretch of two blocks from the estuary, which strategically are the most touristic places or where more people go. This is how in each summer season (even with the pandemic version 2022 on top), the municipality convenes through Social Networks so that those who want can get on the boat, and take it, why not!? a little memory with your Smartphone.

And in that section, what the pencones did there was clean the estuary from time to time (even dividing it from the other non-tourist plots, by means of sacks) as long as it was more beautiful in the eyes of those who pay to navigate with the couple. It is quite a show what the hosts offer there.

-

This idea seeks to give some entertainment and "life" to a sector, which, as we mentioned in previous paragraphs, only has neighborhood businesses spread throughout this broad sector.

It would be one more attraction for the commune-port of Talcahuano.

And before we forget it, through Vegas de Perales the Ifarle Canal continues its course under two bridges. Vehicles travel on both sides, both streets are paved. It perfectly has the conditions to be an urban park, around this canal.

The walk can cover up to a kilometer, from the San Marcos sector (where the Almirante Neff Bridge is) to Monseñor Alarcón street, which is the most important entrance to the Vegas de Perales sector for those neighbors-workers who every afternoon (or night) are already arriving from Concepción.