Parque Ecológico Metropolitano (Metropolitan Ecological Park) is in the Tepic.  It is a protected natural area and covers over 337 hectares that serves to give its residents a quiet respite. It has been created by using a dam (Palote Dam) that has been put in place to save the city from flooding. The dam takes up most of the area but the area around it is reserved as a park. The park is an important recreational area for the 180,000 inhabitants of the city. The dam and the surrounding park help lowering summer temperatures in neighboring urban areas.

The Palote Dam is one of the park’s main attractions, you can navigate on its waters either by renting a boat or rowing a kayak. You’ll see the vestiges of the dam’s reservoir, home to more than 204 species of birds. Around the dam there is a stretch of parklands that provides walking, jogging and horse-riding. Lots of trees have been planted. As of now, there are connecting corridors of green areas that reach the surrounding countryside, which conditions the relatively rich wildlife, mostly birds in the park. Children will have fun like big ones in the specially designed for them Ciudad Infantil (Children’s City). Besides, families can end their park visit by getting on the tire train.

Source: https://youtu.be/s3O00OJU3bQ

Once a year, at the end of November, the Metropolitan Park is the venue for the International Balloon Festival, one of the world’s largest and most important. The first FIG edition was held in December 2002, gathering 25 balloons simultaneously in the air. Now there are hundreds.

Parque Ecológico Metropolitano (Metropolitan Ecological Park) has a dam called Palote Dam that has been put in place to save the city from flooding.

Click on the button of your choice to see if the solution is correct.