El Mani
Encyclopedia
El Maní is a community located along coast in the Sabanetas
Sabanetas
Sabanetas is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Magueyes, Tibes, Portugués, Monte Llano, Machuelo Arriba, Maragüez, and Cerrillos, Sabanetas is one of the municipality's eight rural interior barrios...

 barrio of Mayagüez on the island of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

. El Mani Pavilion
El Mani Pavilion
El Mani Pavilion is a pavilion being built in El Mani, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. At the site there was a covered basketball court; this was demolished to make way for the new building. It cost $3,500,000 to build. It was originally going to host the boxing events at the 2010 Central American and...

 is located there.

Facilities inside El Maní

This community houses a elementary public school and the Esteban Rosado Baez Junior High School, a municipal police and paramedical station, some Protestant churches, a Catholic chapel, a fishermen village and three baseball fields. Near its southern entrance is located one flea market (Pulguero) and an artificial lake. At its northern entrance on the junction of PR-64 and PR-341 roads is located a sport complex that includes a baseball field and the El Mani Pavilion
El Mani Pavilion
El Mani Pavilion is a pavilion being built in El Mani, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. At the site there was a covered basketball court; this was demolished to make way for the new building. It cost $3,500,000 to build. It was originally going to host the boxing events at the 2010 Central American and...

 which held the handball events
Team handball at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
The Handball competition at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games was held in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.The men's tournament was scheduled to be held from 25–30 July, the women's tournament was scheduled to be held from 18–25 July at the Palacio de Recreación y Deportes, the El Mani Pavilion in...

 of the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 21st Central American and Caribbean Games took place in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, from July 18, 2010 to August 1, 2010.-Bid:...

.

A little after its northern entrance is located the Boquilla Creek Wildlife Reserve (Reserva Natural del Caño de la Boquilla).

"Freddy Valentín Bridge" story

As curious local story there are a funny joke about a bridge north of El Maní popularly named "El Puente de Freddy Valentín". It was named after a failed attempt of this politician to get polls from El Maní inhabitants in his run to win the 1984 Mayagüez municipal elections over Benjamín Cole. To ridiculize the administration of Mayor Cole, Mr. Valentín financed with his own funds the construction of a low-level passage over Boquilla Creek, doing the first solid-material bridge even made here. But little time later (near 1985-6) the original bridge was partially destroyed by a flood, remaining closed to traffic some years. In the 2000s a new arched high-level bridge was constructed by DTOP near the place of the first bridge. Having no official name, this new bridge that runs the 341 Road over Boquilla Creek is now informally called as the "Freddy Valentín's Bridge" for local reference.

Other attractions and facilities

At northeastern tip of El Maní community is located the junction of PR-2
Puerto Rico Highway 2
Puerto Rico Highway 2, the longest highway in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico at about 156 miles long, connects San Juan to Ponce....

, PR-64
Puerto Rico Highway 64
Puerto Rico Highway 64 is a short divided highway in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico which serves as an alternate route to Puerto Rico Highway 2, beginning at Puerto Rico Highway 102 toward the Sabanetas barrio. It meets PR-2 again near Añasco. It is mostly divided. It is also a route to the Mayagüez Port,...

 and PR-342 Highways. Next to this hub is located the Eugenio María de Hostos Airport
Eugenio María de Hostos Airport
Eugenio María de Hostos Airport is a small public airport located four miles north of the central business district of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The airport, named after the celebrated Mayagüez native Eugenio Maria de Hostos, covers and has one runway...

, originally called El Mani Airport (Aeropuerto El Maní) after the nearest community. Around the airport are placed some restaurants and the Western Plaza Shopping Center.
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