A proposal to establish an aerial cable car (teleferico) at the top of Ancon Hill connecting down to Amador (near the former Amador golf club and the former Bryon Hall Navy headquarters building) was presented to ARI (Panama's Interoceanic Region Authority) in June 2003 with projections to be constructed in about 12 months after approval at a cost of $9 million and envisioned of employing a staff of 50 persons, according to an ARI news release at that time.  In 2004, ARI reportedly signed a private concession contract with Inversiones Guararé Teleferico, S.A., for four lots (eight hectares or almost 20 acres) at the top of Ancon Hill which ARI reportedly had set aside there in June 2003 for that project.  

As reported by La Prensa (Monica Palm, May 10, 2005), the investor of the project (Inversiones Guarare-Telefericos, S.A). plans to also establish in the same limited area a cafeteria to serve 300 visitors a day, botanical gardens, a bird aviary, a platform to observe birds in the area, and six commercial sites for selling handicraft items. As noted in the environmental impact statement for the project -- approved by Panama's National Environmental Authority (ANAM) in October 2005 -- all the project's infrastructure is expected to fit in a 600-square meter area, including 300 square-meter area for the teleferico platform.

Since the announcement of ANAM's approval of the Environmental Impact Statement, this tourist project has generated considerable and increasing discord and protests (as well as two lawsuits) among the residents of Quarry Heights and others who question locating such a project at the top of Ancon Hill because of extremely limited space there and potential harm to the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna in that area, and other possible negative environmental impacts. Ancon Hill has been protected by Panamanian authorities as a wildlife and nature preserve since shortly after the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 went into effect on October 1, 1979 and most recently so declared by Municipal Agreement 157 on July 31, 2001.

As reported in January 2006 by The Panama News, an environmentalist alliance calling itself the Committee for the Defense of Urban Forests and Public National Parks is challenging the project under the claim that the environmental impact statement approved by the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) was improperly allowed. A group of Ancon Hill residents is suing pursuant to a legal theory that because the area to be privatized is a national park and because a 2003 decree declared Ancon Hill to be a national heritage site, it would be unconstitutional to pass control over it to private hands.

Ancon Hill, which offers from its top a magnificent views of Panama City, the Panama Canal Area (including Albrook and Clayton), and Taboga Island, has had environmental, cultural and historic significance to Panama for many years.

Already located on the small area at the top of Ancon Hill is the mammoth Panamanian flag, communications towers (including the former Southern Command Radio and Television Network repeater tower) with support facilities, a memorial to the Panamanian poet Amelia Denis de Icaza (1830-1911), constructed in 2003, a large water tank, and an old historic observation tower. The only access to the top of the hill is a narrow, winding one-lane road (through part of Quarry Heights) and a staircase part way up the other side of the hill, the latter constructed in 1979.

ANAM has conditioned its approval of the environmental impact statement on the project being relocated to the Mi Pueblito tourist complex at the base of Ancon Hill and a public forum be held with the residents of Quarry Heights  (Monica Palm's reporting in La Prensa, May 26, 2005). That option was explored with Panama City's Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro, who had earlier in the year stated that Mi Pueblito (at the base of Ancon Hill) is under utilized and costly to maintain by the Municipal government.  However, Navarro was later quoted as saying the Mayor's Office "was not going to permit the teleferico nor any other similar project on Ancon Hill" (El Panama America, January 11, 2006).   In order to build their project, Inversiones Gaurare Telefericos would need a number of city permits which the mayor could block. That, in turn, would force the developers to go to court and could stall construction for years (The Panama News, January 22, 2006).

As of February 2006, the fate of this project appears to be in limbo.

Principal sources used for this project:

In English: 

The Panama News (January 22-February 4, 2006) at http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_12/issue_02/news_01.html

The Panama News (January 22-February 4, 2006, Defending the Hill of Two Flags, sociologist Raul Leis's on the cable car project controversy and the historical context of Ancon Hill) at http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_12/issue_02/opinion_01.html

The Panama News (June 5-18, 2003) at http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_11/issue_11/news_briefs.html 

In Spanish: 

La Prensa (Monica Palm, May 10, 2005, "Aprietos en la cima de Ancon") at http://ediciones.prensa.com (indicate publication date in Ediciones anteriores section)  

La Prensa (Monica Palm, May 26, 2005, "Alcaldia podria ceder area de Mi Pueblito") at  http://ediciones.prensa.com/ (indicate publication date)

El Panama America (May 6, 2005, "Peligra el Ancon? - Proyecto turistico crea discordia") at http://www.elpanamaamerica.com.pa/archive/05062005/index.html .

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William H. Ormsbee, Jr.  2005