Golf Course photos - Taken April 8th, 2007

Click on images to enlarge, the Punta Monarca community can be seen to the left. Morelia is in the distance.

Here in this photo, you can appreciate the beauty of the area. The Moorish Group is designing this course. It is aimed to being more "golfer friendly" so that the average duffer can enjoy his/her round time and time again.

I expect the developers are working their best to have the course laid out and seeded, before the seasonal rains come.

Ecological Reserve del Rio Chiquito

One of the biggest obstacles to the construction of the Megatunnel and Mall projects has been that it is being built very near, if not within, an ecological reserve formed under the Government of Lazaro Cardenas en the early 1930s. This reserve is the main watershed region for the city of Morelia with the Rio Chiquito running through it. The reserve is known as the "Cuenca hidrogrfica del Rio Chiquito"


Boundaries are:




1. La Nopalera hill

2. Puerto del Venado

3. Cerro de Aparicio

4. Cerro Alto, Punta de Tierra, La

Rosa

5. Cerro Azul

6. Agua Zarca

7. Cruz de los Zimbos o Cruz Gorda

8. Cerro Verde

9. Pueblo de Jesus del Monte (red X is my house)

PHOTOS OF THE RIO CHIQUITO RESERVE

Overview of the New Morelia Expansion

This map shows the area of expansion for the New Morelia. The area in blue is where most of the projects will take place.

The dark blue line shows the present road that winds down from Jesus del Monte through Santa Maria, ending in either the Paloma intersection or at Morelos Sur on Camelinas (near the zoo and Star Medica)

The above map shows the long range planned growth of the southern sector of Morelia. Yellow line is Avenida Camelinas. The red line is the current project known as the "Megatunnel" that will connect the city to the upper plateau where the mall, golf course, and numerous planned gated communities will be.

The dark blue shows where a perimeter road is planned connecting the tunnel extension, which would by-pass Santa Maria, El Durazno, and Fracc. Mesoamericano, ending at Libramiento Independencia near Costco (Independencia and Camelinas are one and the same, their name just changes depending on which part of the city you are in.

The brown, aqua, and red roads are planned outlets connecting to the Patzcuaro Highway. When and if all of these roads will be built is anyone's guess, but for now, the Paseo de Morelia Mall, Bosque Monarca Golf course, and tunnel project are under way and due for completion sometime in 2008.

I lifted these aerial photos off of the Morelia government's website. For a detail description of the tunnel project, including re-forestation of trees etc. visit :

http://www.morelia.gob.mx/web/Html/Hechos/Tunel%20Vial/PRESENTACIONtunelPARAinternetOK%20Abril2007.pdf





This photo shows the Cointzio Dammed lake which you can see at the bottom of the previous map.

Bosques Monarca

The second major player in la Nueva Morelia is Francisco Medina, a local entrpreneur with auto dealerships throughout Mexico. He is the principal owner of all the land up here near Jesus del Monte that will become Montaña Monarca. The company GICSA is the contractor behind the Paseo de Morelia mall. They are a large contractor out of Mexico City, it is rumored that Carlos Slim is behind GICSA. Paseo Morelia will be the largest mall in the GICSA system, and one of the largest in Latin America.

As stated earlier, Enrique Ramirez has his pet golf course, not to be outdone, Francisco "Paco" Medina is now constructing his up here. Below are the photos of what will become Bosques Montana CC. Keep in mind, 3-4 months ago, I was walking through these woods, they were just starting to move dirt around.

The photo at the right was taken from the highest point in the perimeter road that runs around the golf course. The brick structure in the middle (click on photo to enlarge it) is Los Corporales Salon de Fiesta. The white tower for the tech would be just outside of this photo to the left. The author´s home is in the distance in line with Los Corporales at the far tree line.

This photo was taken from the same spot, just moving left. The Tec Tower can be seen, and behind that in the distance, is the new construction for Paseo Morelia. You are looking north. The foreground sandy areas are where the golf course is.

Same vantage point, just moved the camera to the left, Golf holes in foreground, the white buildings in the distance are in the gated community of Punta Monarca. I really believe that Bosques Monarca will be the neighborhood to live in Morelia. Much more naturally scenic than Tres Marias.

Here is part of the perimeter road around the golf course. After hiking through these woods over the years, my only hope is that they will zone this community for at least 1 acre lots.