Fundidora Park (Parque Fundidora in Spanish) is an urban park located in the Mexican city of Monterrey, built in what once were the grounds of the Monterrey Foundry, the first steel and iron foundry in Latin America, and, for many years, the most important one in the region.
History and location
thumb|left|Parque Fundidora with steel mill ruins
thumb|left|View of [[Cintermex]]
The Parque Fundidora is located inside the grounds formerly occupied by Fundidora Monterrey, a steel foundry company of great importance to the economic development of the city during the 20th century. After its bankruptcy in 1986, Federal and State government showed interest in using the land to create a public park with the aim to preserve its history as well as being a center of culture, business, entertainment and ecological awareness for the people of the city.
Auditorio Banamex
Auditorio Citibanamex (formerly named Auditorio Coca-Cola, Auditorio Fundidora and Auditorio Banamex) is an indoor amphitheatre with a capacity of 8,200.<br>
The amphitheatre opened in 1994 with a sponsorship by The Coca-Cola Company, and it was the primary venue for concerts until the Arena Monterrey opened in 2003.
Centro de las Artes
Museo de Acero
Visualscapes
<gallery>
File:Torre de la Fundidora.jpg|post-industrial Tower
File:Steel mill Fundidora Park.jpg|Horno 3 - 3rd Blast Furnace
File:Parque Fundidora (2).jpg
File:Parque Fundidora.jpg|Green Field
File:Structure in Fundidora Park.jpg
File:Parque Fundidora (Monterrey).jpg|Horno 3 before restoration
File:Fountain in Parque Fundidora.jpg|Fountain
File:Steel Structure Fundidora Park.jpg|Steel Structure Fundidora Park
File:Antigua Nave Lewis Parque Fundidora.jpg|Expo Center @ the Old Lewis Building.<br />Host of the 2007 Universal Forum of Cultures
</gallery>
<gallery>
File:Cintermex1.jpg|Interior de CINTERMEX.
File:Fundidora2.jpg|Vista a la torre.
File:Fundidora3a.jpg|Vista a fundidora.
File:Fundidora4.jpg|Paseo Santa Lucía.
File:Fundidora6.jpg|Vista al Horno 3.
File:Fundidora7.jpg|Entrada al museo.
File:Fundidora9.jpg|Parque Fundidora.
File:Fundidora10.jpg|Chimeneas del parque y vista al Cerro de la Silla.
File:Fundidora13.jpg|El auditorio y el parque.
File:Fundidora14.jpg|Lago Fundidora.
</gallery>
Events
- The Champ Car World Series Grand Prix of Monterrey was held from 2001 to 2006 (see Tecate/Telmex Grand Prix of Monterrey).
- Fundidora Park has been the venue of UN and OEA summits.
- On February 26, 2006, the Fundidora Park raceway hosted the 2005–06 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Mexico in A1 Grand Prix racing series.
- The park was the center of the 2007 Universal Forum of Cultures. For this event, an area of was joined to the 120 original hectares and also was joined to the city's Great Plaza by the Santa Lucia Riverwalk.
- The Pal Norte music fest and the Machaca Fest are hosted in the park every year.
Champ Car race history
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Season
! Date
! Driver
! Team
! Report
|-
! 2001
| March 11
| Cristiano da Matta
| Newman/Haas Racing
| Report
|-
! 2002
| March 10
| Cristiano da Matta
| Newman/Haas Racing
| Report
|-
! 2003
| March 23
| Paul Tracy
| Forsythe Racing
| Report
|-
! 2004
| May 23
| Sébastien Bourdais
| Newman/Haas Racing
| Report
|-
! 2005
| May 22
| Bruno Junqueira
| Newman/Haas Racing
| Report
|-
! 2006
| May 21
| Sébastien Bourdais
| Newman/Haas Racing
| Report
|}
A1GP race history
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Season
! Date
! Sprint Race Winner
! Feature Race Winner
! Report
|-
| 2005–2006
| February 26
| Alexandre Premat
| Alexandre Premat
| Report
|}
Lap records
The fastest official race lap records at the Fundidora Park Circuit are listed as:
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Class !! Time !! Driver !! Vehicle !! Event
|-
| Champ Car || 1:14.529 || Sébastien Bourdais || Lola B02/00 || 2006 Tecate Grand Prix of Monterrey
|-
| CART || 1:15.386 || Cristiano da Matta || Lola B02/00 || 2002 Tecate/Telmex Monterrey Grand Prix
|-
| A1 GP || 1:21.100 || Alexandre Prémat || Lola A1GP || 2005–06 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Mexico
|-
| Formula Atlantic || 1:23.206 || Graham Rahal || Swift 016.a || 2006 Monterrey Formula Atlantic round
|-
| Indy Lights || 1:24.282 || Mario Domínguez || Lola T97/20 || 2001 Monterrey Indy Lights round
|-
| Barber Pro Series || 1:34.095 || David Martínez || Reynard 98E || 2003 Monterrey Barber Pro round
|-
|}
See also
- List of preserved historic blast furnaces
- Enrique Abaroa Castellanos
References
External links
- Fundidora Park official website
- Mabe Fundidora Ice Rink: localized at Fundidora Park, Monterrey, Nuevo León
- Centro de las Artes CONARTE
- Fundidora Park Slideshow