Aibonito barrio-pueblo Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Aibonito barrio-pueblo Pueblo de Aibonito
Municipality Seat
Town Hall in Aibonito
Location of Aibonito barrio-pueblo within the municipality of Aibonito shown in red
Aibonito barrio-pueblo Location in Caribbean
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Municipality	Aibonito
Area
• Total	0.8 sq mi (2 km²)
• Land	0.8 sq mi (2 km²)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0 km²)
Elevation	2,001 ft (610 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	3,539
• Density	4,423.8/sq mi (1,708.0/km²)
	Source: 2010 Census
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)

Aibonito barrio-pueblo is a special part of Aibonito, a town in Puerto Rico. It's like the main downtown area or the "heart" of the town. This is where the local government offices are, and it's also where many people live. In 2010, about 3,539 people lived here.

Just like in Spain, many towns in Puerto Rico have a "pueblo" area. This area usually has a main square, called a central plaza. You'll also find the town hall (where the mayor works) and a Catholic church here. Every year, fun festivals called Fiestas patronales are held in this central plaza. These festivals celebrate the town's patron saint.

The Heart of the Town: The Central Plaza
- The San José Church
How Aibonito is Organized: Sectors
Making Aibonito Better: Urban Development
Gallery
See also

The Heart of the Town: The Central Plaza

The central plaza, or town square, is a very important place in Aibonito. It's where people gather for fun events and to hang out with friends and family. People can socialize there from morning until night.

Long ago, in the early 1800s, Spanish laws called the Laws of the Indies guided how towns in Puerto Rico were built. These laws said that the plaza should be a place for "parties" and celebrations. They also said the plaza should be big enough for all the people living nearby. The laws even suggested that streets around the plaza should have covered walkways. These walkways would protect people from the sun and rain.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	2,085	—
1910	2,153	3.3%
1920	2,281	5.9%
1930	3,498	53.4%
1940	4,103	17.3%
1950	5,126	24.9%
1980	5,220	—
1990	3,907	−25.2%
2000	3,662	−6.3%
2010	3,539	−3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1980-2000 2010

The San José Church

Right across from the central plaza in Aibonito barrio-pueblo is the Parroquia San José. This is the town's main church. The very first church on this spot was made of wood. It was built between 1825 and 1831.

Work on the church you see today started in 1887. The design was created by an architect named Pedro Cobreros. Construction stopped for a few years but began again in 1893. The church was finally opened in 1897. Since then, it has had many updates and renovations to keep it beautiful.

How Aibonito is Organized: Sectors

Barrios in Puerto Rico are like neighborhoods or districts. These barrios are then divided into even smaller areas. These smaller areas are called sectores (which means "sectors" in English).

There are different kinds of sectors. Some are just called "sector," while others might be named "urbanización" (a planned neighborhood), "reparto" (a land division), "barriada" (a smaller neighborhood), or "residencial" (a housing complex).

The Aibonito barrio-pueblo includes these sectors:

Barrio Pueblo Norte (North Town Neighborhood)
Barrio Pueblo Sur (South Town Neighborhood)
Urbanización Buena Vista (Good View Urbanization)

Making Aibonito Better: Urban Development

In 2014, the mayor of Aibonito, William Alicea Pérez, was very happy about the improvements made to the town. Especially the changes in the downtown area. Several big building projects were finished that year.

For example, a new assisted living center was opened for older adults. A new stadium was also built. The mayor also shared plans for a future gym. He gave updates on another stadium project and other works that were happening to help Aibonito. Pérez said that the town's center had changed a lot and would keep getting better. A gym for boxing and martial arts was being built with help from Miguel Cotto, a famous Puerto Rican boxing champion.