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By and large, the old Zonians hate it when they see it. Balboa, once the administrative capital and principal commercial center of the old Canal Zone and the place with the old colonial enclave's best houses, is changing into an industrial center that's a much less pleasant place to live. The commissary, clubhouse and most of the other Canal Zone infrastructure went of of business a long time ago, although the pool, post office, stadium and Balboa Theater continue to exist under Panamanian administration and the Panama Canal administration has expanded to take over the old Balboa elementary and high schools and all the buildings alone El Prado.

Meanwhile, new road construction promises much more traffic in the area, and the expansion of the Port of Balboa also involves more container handling railroad capacity.

Thus an old government center and residential neighborhood is being transformed into an industrial town. Panamanians who place high priority on the nation's economic development tend to look on the changes with favor, but people with fond childhood memories of the old Balboa tend to be horrified. Photos by Eric Jackson

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