By Heather Wilson

My quality of life is priceless.

Reviewing my Day Timer last week, I noted with surprise that just last year at this time, some of us were still marching for peace.

It's a complicated world, and the way I cope best is by keeping my life as simple as possible. One of the best things I've ever done for myself is to move here. I earn about 15% of what I last made in Canada, but my quality of life is priceless. And every day I'm grateful for the near-perfect weather, the friendly people, the abundance of interesting things to do and places to go and, perhaps best of all, the freedoms I enjoy.

That's not to say this beautiful place doesn't have its shadow side, my pet peeves the buses squishing someone just about every week and the indiscriminate poisoning of cats and dogs.

But these days I am encouraged. Buses and their drivers are now being “regularized” by the government, hopefully leading to more accountability. And the disparate groups and individuals who care about their dependent fellow creatures are raising a louder, more united voice.

Our new city government has been surprisingly quick off the mark in its handling of several long-standing issues in its few short weeks in office – including taking the first step toward dealing with the unpleasant traffic congestion in Vallarta’s historic heart by closing the Malecon to vehicular traffic on the weekends.

I and many others, locals and tourists, strolled this oceanfront promenade in serenity and safety on Friday night, pausing here and there to take in some of the diverse and free entertainment including mariachi, marimba, and even didgeridoo, as well as dozens of artist exhibitions.

The English theater season is in high gear. And even a recent Spanish-language play, Tencha Avila’s Rose de Dos Aromas, a comedy about two women and the scoundrel they both love, was such a hit it returned for a second run. The play was so well done, and its theme so universal, that it resonated with us gringos, too. The talented actor, writer, producer and director Is now in rehearsal for March 1, 8, 27 and 28 performances of Vallarta Impromptu at the Cultural Center on Isla Cuale. Avila promises that this parody on plays by Moliere "will be full of fun and frolic."

I'm often asked how many people live in Vallarta. Well, the municipality's recently released Urban Development Plan projects there will be an estimated 543,000 residents in the city's 10,500 hectares by the year 2025, "about twice as many residents as there are now." So, now we know. Currently, population density is highest downtown and in suburban El Pitillal. Because of this anticipated growth, it's vital that we get a handle on the town's urban issues and fortify its infrastructure - getting a new site for the dangerously over-extended city dump, for example.

In recent months I’ve noticed a proliferation of graffiti on public buildings around town and it doesn’t seem like there’s much, if anything, being done about it. A recent article in The Guadalajara Colony Reporter said San Miguel de Allende’s foreign community donated $15,000 USD for a campaign to remove graffiti from that city. Not only are they getting rid of these eyesores, but contacting teachers and urging them to educate students about the negative effects these disconcerting scrawls have on the community. With interest I will watch to see the results of this effort.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about what you’re reading, you’re encouraged to let me know at heather@mexmags.com.

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