On August 2nd (2005), Oaxaqueños greeted the reopening of the main square with not too much more than mild curiosity. The controversial reconstruction work to the main square has bewildered both locals and tourists as the 'secret' plans of the government were hidden behind high corrugated metal fences. Although it opened, it was not yet complete. The city is hoping that it will be finished by the Christmas season.

The corrugated metal fencing that had shrouded building work has now come down, and with it the children's drawings, poems and protest banners.

Oaxaqueños are squinting, (searching for a shady spot as there is now much less of it) as they begin to reacquaint themselves with this historic public space.

The laying of new cantera stone paving is now almost complete. Landscaping of the gardens that surround the existing kiosk, the fountains and the sculptures is underway. Some of the cast iron benches have been manoevered back into position (though not where they used to be) in the now stark 'modernised' square.

Three trees were lost in the process of the renovation. Walking paths are widened, and more lamps were installed to give the zocalo an "open" look. The new (and poorly received) cement benches were quickly removed, and some of the old wrought iron benches were brought back. All in all, the zocalo project is not a disaster as most people anticipated. But Oaxacans wonder, "Is it worth all the money that we don't have to fix something that is not broken?"

Taken from a reader survey, the August issue of Travel + Leisure magazine names the city of Oaxaca the ninth best city in the world. The tourists still come and will continue to come. Maybe time will heal the bad feelings.

Maybe not. “The damage is already done,” said Maestro Francisco Toledo, commenting on the recent changes to the city's center during a July 23rd protest against the zocalo renovations.

After the still unfinished town square was opened to the public during the Guelaguetza, many people were shocked to see the gray stone floor, giant metal sculptures and unwieldly cement benches. It also appeared some trees were missing. Toledo was quick to give an artist's opinion of the statues: horrible junk in terrible taste.

The benches he called heavy, awkward and uncomfortable. “These works shouldn't be in the hands of bureaucrats, they should be supervised by a citizen council of experts,” he said. In a previous speech, he threatened to tie himself to a statue in the Alameda if the authorities attempted to do the same style of rennovation with the plaza next to the Cathedral.

Toledo petitioned the government to destroy the concrete benches (he brought a wooden bench to show an alternate aesthetic), to remove the sculptures and to do something about Hotel Marquez del Valle, a business sitting on Cathedral property. He quipped, “What's next? Putting lights and sound in Monte Alban?”