The Government plans to build an artificial lake of 2,500 square meters in the Omar recreational and cultural park, located in the township of San Francisco, as part of an initiative to create a water reservoir for environmental, recreational and educational purposes. The project was declared to be of public interest by the Cabinet Council, as stated in Cabinet Resolution No. 97, published this Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in Official Gazette No. 30623-A. The 2,500 square meters that the lake would occupy is roughly equivalent to the surface area of six regulation basketball courts. Spanning 55 hectares, Omar Park is the most frequented public green space within Panama City’s urban center.
View of the amphitheater and playground at Omar Recreational and Cultural Park, located in San Francisco.
The resolution, signed by the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, and the Ministers of State, states that the project seeks to “strengthen the management of water resources and expand the environmental, recreational and educational benefits of the park.” Among the considerations of the initiative, it is noted that Omar Park “currently does not have, according to its registered facilities, any permanent body of water.” The document states that the project would introduce this type of infrastructure to the park for the first time, with the purpose of expanding its range of environmental, recreational, and educational services.
According to the resolution, the lake would function as a water reservoir, capturing water during the rainy season for use when needed. It is also proposed that it contribute to supporting local biodiversity, moderating surrounding temperatures, and creating spaces for recreation, environmental education, and community interaction. The Cabinet Council maintains – according to the resolution – that Omar Park receives about 10,000 visitors daily and presents the initiative as a green and blue infrastructure that could serve as a reference for water management and climate adaptation projects in other public spaces in the country.
🌳 55
Hectares of green areas.
💧 2,500 m²
It would be the surface area of the artificial lake.
👥 10,000
The park receives visitors daily.
The project includes environmental, topographic, geotechnical, and hydrological studies, as well as hydraulic, architectural, electromechanical, and landscape designs. It also encompasses lake shaping and waterproofing, drainage and aeration, and the restoration of affected areas.
The Declaration does not Authorize the Works.
The Cabinet Resolution establishes that the declaration of public interest does not replace the environmental impact assessment nor does it authorize the start of the works in itself. Before executing the project, the corresponding approvals and permits must be obtained, in addition to complying with environmental, citizen participation, safety, monitoring and control obligations, under the competence of the Ministry of Environment and the other entities involved. The resolution also instructs the relevant public entities to collaborate and coordinate the processing of the project.
The Cost is Not Yet Known.
A review of PanamaCompra, the electronic public procurement system, shows no information related to this project. At this time, the estimated costs for the construction of the artificial lake are unknown. Cabinet Resolution No. 97 was issued on September 15, 2026 and published this Wednesday in the Official Gazette.
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