The rhythmic clatter of the train on the Line 12 echoes in Jardim Romano. This is the sound of Jardim Romano. It’s the heartbeat of this quiet neighborhood nestled on the edge of São Paulo.
Jardim Romano. A name that whispers of tranquility. It’s a place of flat streets a welcome change from the hilly chaos of other parts of the city. It’s the last neighborhood in the east belonging to the municipality of São Paulo. Think of it as a peaceful outpost bordering Guarulhos to the north Itaquaquecetuba to the east and Itaim Paulista to the south. The tranquil waters of the Rio Tietê and the Córrego Três Pontes flow nearby.
The arrival of the train station in 2008 changed things. It’s a lifeline for Jardim Romano. Before the station many residents were labeled as part of a “dormitory neighborhood”. They commuted long hours to work in other parts of the city. The train eased those commutes. Now many residents can work elsewhere. Yet they still enjoy the peace of Jardim Romano in the evenings.
But the past wasn’t always so serene. In December 2009 heavy rains turned parts of Jardim Romano into an underwater world. Flooding lasted for almost a month. The water didn’t just come from the rain. Jardim Romano sits on a floodplain of the Rio Tietê. The government offered to relocate thousands of families. A park was planned. But ultimately neither plan was fully executed.
Today Jardim Romano stands as a testament to resilience. It is a peaceful suburb at the city’s edge. It continues its quiet existence next to a busy railway. It shows the calm after the storm. It’s a place where the rhythm of life is marked by the train’s gentle clatter. This place is Jardim Romano. And this is its story.