Canóvanas, Puerto Rico
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| Canóvanas, Puerto Rico | |||
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| Nickname(s): Pueblo Valeroso", "Ciudad de los Indios", "La Ciudad de las Carreras", "El Pueblo del Chupacabras | |||
  Canóvanas, Puerto Rico
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| Coordinates: 18°22′45″N 65°54′05″W / 18.37917°N 65.90139°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| Territory | Puerto Rico | ||
| Founded | 1909 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Hon. José R. Soto Rivera (PNP) | ||
| - Senatorial dist. | 8 - Carolina | ||
| - Representative dist. | 37, 38 | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 28.2 sq mi (73.12 km2) | ||
| - Land | 28.2 sq mi (73 km2) | ||
| - Water | 0 sq mi (.12 km2) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 47,526 | ||
| - Density | 1,541.6/sq mi (595.2/km2) | ||
| - Gentilic | Canovanenses | ||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | ||
| Anthem – "Canóvanax" | |||
Canóvanas (kah-NO-vah-nahs) is a municipality in Puerto Rico, located in the northeastern region, north of Juncos and Las Piedras; south of Loíza; east of Carolina; and west of Río Grande. Canóvanas is spread over 7 wards and Canóvanas Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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[edit] History
Juan R. Calderón founded Canóvanas in 1909 and was its first mayor. Canóvanas derives its name from a local Indian chief Canobaná (Canovanax).
[edit] Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms today contains the following symbolisms: The colors gold and violet taken from the banner of the "Hijos y Amigos Ausentes de Canóvanas" (Absent Children and Friends of Canóvanas), The crown (castle) symbolizing municipality, the broken chain symbolizing the discontinuation of Canóvanas as a district of Loíza. The crown in the center symbolizing and recalling the supreme hierarchy of the Cacique Canobaná, The laurels indicating the 23 consecutive wins (one leaf for each win) of the "Loíza Indians" basketball team, establishing a record in Puerto Rico. The basket in the middle of the leaves represents the team and its accomplishments. The rising sun and its 16 rays of light indicating the sprouting of a new municipality in Puerto Rico and the number of the incumbent mayors, respectively, before Canóvanas was separated from Loíza. The inscription in the banner recalls: the name of the Cacique and the dates of the installation of the municipal seat of Loíza in Canóvanas, November 30, 1909; and its creation August 15, 1970.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Barrios (Districts/Wards)[1]
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[edit] Geo/Topography
The urban center of Canovanas has a modern but traditional layout. It is located in a strategic position along Road PR-3, historically the main road between San Juan and Fajardo. Canovanas combines flat alluvial plains, areas with gentle hills made up of volcaniclastic rocks, and rugged mountainous areas made up of volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks (lava flows and exposed intrusive igneous rocks). Much of the flat plains are part of the flood-prone alluvial valley of the Río Grande de Loíza and its main tributaries, the Río Canóvanas and Río Canovanillas. Floods are typical during the storm season, between June and November.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Agriculture
Minor vegetable and fruit cultivation; minor cattle and poultry. Most of Canovanas flat areas are subject to occasional flooding and are used as pastures for cattle. Many of these lands were previously used for sugar cane cultivation, but sugar cane is no longer harvested in most of Puerto Rico.
[edit] Business
Most of Canovanas commerce is driven by retail businesses. There are three main shopping centers, located along Road PR-3, which is the main roadway between San Juan and the east coast. Other typical businesses in Canovanas are pharmacies, liquor stores and bars, restaurants and cafeterias, gasoline stations and auto repair shops, and supermarkets and bakeries. The most growing sector is the industrial zone where large international pharmaceuticals like; Astra-Zeneca, IPR, QBD among others have established their manufacturing plants. Recently a WAL-MART Super Center was inaugurated in the Plaza Canovanas area where retail stores spaces will be soon available for other brands. This very adjacent to the Beltz Factory Outlet Mall, one of the fastest growing shopping areas in the San Juan Metro area and where famous brands have presence this mostly due to the newly expressway PR-66 which connects the city's center just 15 minutes from the International Airport of San Juan thus avoiding traffic thru old PR-3. Canóvanas is the closest suburb town to the capital of Puerto Rico and is one of the fastest growing cities in the island. Large government projects are scheduled to begin construction, also private developments as more than 5 high income residential urbanizations that added to the more than 8 already built. The "Hipodromo El Camarero" is the only horse racetrack in Puerto Rico, and the largest and most modern of the Caribbean. Due to its strategic location, Canovanas has a great tourism, industrial and business potential that has not been exploited.
[edit] Industrial
Apparel, footwear, chemical agents, pharmaceutical, electrical and electronic equipment
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Landmarks and places of interest
- Antigua Lechería (Old Dairy)
- Central Canóvanas Ruins
- El Camarero Horse Racetrack
- El Español Bridge
- Jesús T. Piñero's House
- Old Ceiba Tree
- Villarán Park
- Belz Factory Outlet World Shopping Mall
[edit] Festivals and events
- Cross Festivities - May
- Matron Festivities - October
- Christmas In The Country - December
[edit] Sports
Canóvanas was also home of a large number of Taíno Indians. Because of this, Canóvanas' professional sports teams have traditionally been nicknamed the Indios. In 1983, BSN's Indios won Puerto Rico's national basketball championship and they repeated in 1984, but they eventually disappeared during the 1990s. The Indias women's volleyball team has also won a number of championships. In Horse-racing, Canóvanas is home to Hipodromo Camarero, formerly named El Nuevo Comandante, Puerto Rico's only horse racetrack, since 1972.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 18°22′45″N 65°54′05″W / 18.37917°N 65.90139°W
