The Place Where I First Felt Free
Scroll to read the story ↓Edison Patricio Cauja Salgado, known as Pato, is 19 and studies Graphic Design at university. Art, especially drawing and painting, has been one of his main passions since childhood. Born and raised in Riobamba, he has lived there all his life. Surrounded by mountains, landscapes and stories, he sees the city as a warm place because of both its climate and its people.
Pato is a member of the Mental Health Committee and is known for his commitment to promoting safe spaces, as well as his willingness to look after and support others. He also places great value on creativity and often contributes in this area to the project’s various activities. As part of his contributions, he has designed various graphic artworks and publications to support the communication and promotion of Alza Tu Voz’s activities.
A place that means something to me
Whenever I can, I stop at Sucre Park. There is something about it that brings me peace. Perhaps it is the possibility of sitting quietly while the city continues moving around me, watching as everyone seems to have somewhere to go while I simply remain there.
I am not someone who goes out very often. For a long time, I rarely left my house – if at all. When I was 17, my parents finally allowed me to go out on my own. At the time, I had just graduated from high school and was attending a university preparatory course. One of the first places I went to by myself was this very park.
Whenever I left my university preparatory course, I would come here. I would sit down, put on some music, and simply stay there. It was just my headphones and me, sometimes observing my surroundings and other times drawing. I did not need much more.
“I will never forget that period because it was the first time I understood what it meant to be free.”
Whenever I pass by this place, I am overcome by a certain nostalgia. I remember conversations with important people, moments shared with others, and times when I was simply alone with my thoughts. All these experiences, no matter how small they may have seemed at the time, are part of the person I am today.
I believe everyone experiences this space differently. For children, it can be a place to play. For adolescents, a meeting point to see one another, talk and spend time together. For adults, a space to appreciate the city; and for older adults, a place to rest and reflect.
Perhaps that is why Sucre Park can mean so many things at once: a place to play, meet, rest, remember – or simply be.
A place I would change
The San Antonio de Padua Lagoon is a place that very few people in Riobamba know about. I chose it because of how dangerous it can be for residents, despite being a place with tremendous potential.
In recent years, it has gained a reputation as a place where danger can arise in many ways – from suspicious individuals who may be connected to criminal activity to the presence of too many dogs, most of which are not friendly. Its size and isolation can also make it feel abandoned.
And that is precisely what makes it so striking: a place that can feel so unsafe also has everything it needs to become one of the most beautiful sites in the city. Its views, its unique shape and the lack of natural spaces like this in Riobamba give it enormous potential.
It only needs to become a place that is cared for, restored and, above all, given the importance it truly deserves.
I wish adults and decision-makers knew that…
“Adolescents also experience and shape our city in our own way. Yes, we have different experiences, ideas, and ways of seeing the spaces we share, but our age should not make our opinions less valuable. We are also an important part of the city, and we deserve to be heard, taken into account, and respected.”