What did I see on the Bocas del Toro/Boquete highway?

[Dale Thomas]

Between Bocas del Toro and Boquete, I think it was still on the Caribbean side of the cordillera, I saw a large fenced-in facility very close to the highway (it was on my right as I was headed to Boquete).  It had many buildings and appeared deserted.    If there were signs, I did not see them.

What did I see?  What was the facility for?  A small military base?  A detention facility?  A private school/university?

[wryawry]

Could it have been a pumping station for the trans-isthmus oil pipeline?

[Dale Thomas]

My guess is that I was looking at enough space/housing for 1000 people.  Was I looking at dorms, classrooms, or offices?  I doubt that I saw it for more than 5-10 seconds.  My first thought was a detention facility, but, thinking back, the fence did not look like it was there to keep people in and I recall no watch towers.  

Well, the mystery should be solved soon.  Just curious... 

[Roger Bellido]

I am not so sure but some contracting companies usually do project "towns" for their personnel in the projects.  Usually are offices, barracks, kitchen and dinning room, warehouses, etc.

 

More that 20 years ago I was in one of them built by the italian contracting company that built the first phase of Fortuna Hydroelectric project and according to your description looks like it is or was a project town

[Dale Thomas]

Interesting, Roger.

[Roger Bellido]

Jim

 

I didnt see your link posted.  I will do it.

 

I had the priviledge to be in one project "town" and inside the tunnels, see the dam, be at the powerhouse area of Fortuna because of my engineering job at that time.  I have not visited any new hydroelectric project in Panama recently.  I hope I could visit one of them before they finish their construction process.

[Dale Thomas]

Interesting, Roger.  I wonder if it was built to house Italian workers and then became a conference center.  It was built as a conference center, it was over-kill.  The complex is quite large and far from supplies.  One would expect a center to be relatively close to a large city.

Thanks for you input!

[Roger Bellido]

Dale:

 

You have made an interesting question.  I have always asked myself what was the end or final use of those buildings.  I dont know if they left them for other purposes or took them to other places or what.  But remember that there are and were other hydroelectric projects.  I am not sure if the installations you saw were those I visited long time ago. 

 

I dont think that anybody will build a conference center in such far place.  As you said the logistics for only a conference center to be used a couple of times a year is not worth the investment and maintenance of that buildings in such place should be large.  But I cant tell you what are those installations being used for. I could be wrong and it is some kind of spiritual retirement that people used to go a couple of times a year, who knows. 

[Dale Thomas]

If we play our cards right, maybe we can be get invited to tour the grounds some day.

[Roger Bellido]

JIm:

 

Interesting.  I didnt know that they allowed visits.  I have been there only for work purposes.

 

 

[B & A in Brisas]

Double thumbs up Jim.  We'd just love to tour that facility and will definately get back if we succeed.

[B & A in Brisas]

Sorta like paying your traffic ticket on the spot? ( kidding...I'd never do that)

[Keith Woolford]

Have been told it's a conference centre used once a year.