Danger of Dart tunnel raised by NRA
Work underway on West Bay Road
(CNS): The West Bay Road Tunnel, one of the most dramatic changes to the appearance of that road, is due to be completed during the first quarter of next year, but a planned extension by another 195 feet could now be in question. The extension application will be considered at a Central Planning Authority meeting on Wednesday, but concerns from the National Roads Authority about the dangers to pedestrians, height restrictions and lack of justification for a longer tunnel have been outlined on the agenda.
NRA officials have pointed to a number of “pedestrian conflicts and near misses experienced during this current construction phase of the WB Road Tunnel”.
The roads authority said that the CPA should give consideration to a number of factors before granting permission for this latest addition to the tunnel, especially in light of issues relating to the existing tunnel on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, where there have been a number of incidents, including a tree being stuck in the underpass.
“The existing tunnel on West Bay Road is inherently restrictive to both pedestrians and large pieces of equipment traversing north and south bound, both during and after construction,” the NRA stated in its comments to the CPA about the West Bay Road tunnel extension. “There is no conclusive justification for the tunnel extension being deemed necessary or appropriate; the proposed future development plans provided offer very little indication of timelines and scheduled construction dates and it appears as if these plans are subject to change as future acquisitions become a reality.”
The NRA made it clear that it does not believe the extension is appropriate and suggests the tunnel extension should not be approved.
The Department of Environment, which had raised concerns during the original tunnel application, repeated its position that the proposal should be the subject of a more comprehensive review, including a public consultation due to the nature of its impact on traffic, the topography of the area and its scale.
The completion of the first phase of the tunnel is less than six months away and the equipment is already on island. Work on installing the massive steel girders, which will create the tunnel and allow the applicant, Cayman Shores Development Ltd, a subsidiary of Dart Real Estate, to cover the West Bay Road and link Dart-owned Camana Bay directly to Seven Mile Beach is expected to begin before the end of the year.
The underpass project was approved by the CPA and construction began well before Dart acquired Royal Palms. But in early September, after purchasing that piece of beachfront property, the company submitted this planning request to extend the length of the tunnel and incorporate its latest acquisition.
The company is also seeking to amend the Planned Area Development (PAD) for the continued development of Camana Bay as it stretches and merges into the Seven Mile Beach area as the real estate mogul acquires more and more property in this famous tourist area of Grand Cayman.
In a press release posted on the Dart Real Estate website last month, president Jackie Doak said the planned road infrastructure is part of master planning at Camana Bay to facilitate expansion towards Seven Mile Beach.
“The underpass will achieve our goal of developing a walkable town, with ease of travel from Seven Mile Beach to the North Sound without having to cross a major road or impacting traffic flow,” she said. “The newer, longer underpass will provide additional pedestrian access from Camana Bay to the Seven Mile Beach area, similar to the enhanced experience offered on the Rise, which has already been well-travelled by residents and visitors.”
Category: development, Local News
Give Dart an inch and he’ll take a mile!
No bobo. Govt gave Dart an inch and he took 7 mile!
He didn’t take anything. He bought it, legally. Caymanians selling to a Caymanian. No wonder this place is a mess, you all just love to put each other down rather than get together, talk facts rather than fiction and more forward together. Nope, gotta run each other down, slag each other off and that is precisely how expats will eventually take control. That’s what Russia is doing in the US and Europe, dividing and ruling.
Which part of dart is caymanian!? He doesn’t integrate into our community so why should we accept him as one of our own! I gladly accept any “paper Caymanian” as Caymanian as long as they actually makes an effort to mingle with other locals.
99.99% of Caymanians probably don’t even know what the mysterious Dart looks like!!
He ain’t no Caymanian!
He does mingle with locals- those of similar status and wealth.
Just not us middle class folks.
He’s at Vic’s on Sunday nights.
Mr Dart if you want to truly help Caymanians , instead of a tunnel , Caymanians are suffering especially the middle class and downwards a lot of Caymanians properties are now in foreclosure, many are struggling to pay their bills , feed their children , crime is on the increase, social issues on the rise, NAU needs revamping, I implore you to open a financial institution that could help Caymanians get back on track, repaying small interest rates. Too many “rich” Caymanians have passed without leaving any legacy behind. Are you catering for Caymanians/Tourists/THe rich or all ? So instead of a tunnel at the moment , you could make a difference with suffering Caymanians and change many lives, which would make up one of you legacies.
LMAO!! Please tell me you see the irony!? Asking Dart the vulture capitalist to help you out financially! Yeah… that ain’t going to end well!
@Goodheart as a young Caymanian I understand that there are many Caymanians who are struggling due to losing their jobs and not be being able to find work or they may have an illness that doen’t allow them to work. But for the majority of them they are struggling because they are trying to live outside of their means to impress the Jones’. Some of them before they pay their bills or buy food for their families would rather buy the latest in fashion. Most of the Caymanian entitlement mentality is the problem, feeling that someone or the government must bail them out because of the wrong choices/decisions that they made. As my mother always said you made your bed now you must lay in it. Caymanians need to learn how to fix the problems that they created on their own and stop depending on people or the government to fix them.
Then when you fail to make payment on your dart loan he takes your house and owns even more property in Cayman. Congrats on having the worst idea of the week!
So you expect not to pay, no wonder this place has gone to shit…you should be entitled to a house that you don’t pay for, right?
That is why Caymanians can rarely survive when they leave Cayman for a better life. They want everything on a damn platter! I can understand Goodheart intentions. Instead of these loansharks institutions who are robbing people with high interest rates, I dont see why Mr Dart couldn’t open one of these instiitution to help Caymanians, Look how much “rich” Caymanians have died, sometime still alive and have never opened an institution to help Caymanians, its always a “sufferer” opens one and charges high interest rates.
blah blah blah…politicians selling us out!??
People marched against the closure of a piece of road during the previous administration because they could no longer see the sea. Now we are being put in tunnels and the land above the tunnel is given to the developer who put us in the tunnels. I don’t see any protest, I am sure they can’t see the beach, the sea or the sun, from inside the tunnels but no protest, why what happened or was all of that just politics. Where are those brave women that even went to court to stop the road closure? Are they all of a sudden happy because this has been given and approved by their Government?
You cant see the sea from there anyway, muppet
We have learned that protest is meaningless against Darts money. PPM way back said they would get that road back for us but once back in office that never happened. Dart controls government our voices are tiny compared to Darts money. This is not a question of what is right but who has the most money. Everyone on your knees ; please bow to Dart’s money, as our politicians do..
My understanding is they will be painting a mural of 7MB within the title, thus preserving the view of 7MB for eternity. It will be fantastic (again)!
“within the tunnel”, not title…
The BIG picture is really the fact that that this is a perfect example of Corporatocracy in the Cayman Islands.
Dart always reminds of Allen Stanford who poured $millions of other people’s money into projects that never had any hope of ever showing a profit. When his empire folded it cost Antigua roughly 10% of their annual GDP and 2500 jobs.
Only Dart is investing his own money and it’s not a Ponzi scheme. So actually Dart is nothing like Allen Stanford.
I don’t like Dart or his developments either btw.
Or the fact that the jobs and GDP that vanished didn’t exist before the fraud either and were in fact dependent on the fraud.
12:20 But wherever the funds came from while it lasted it was real income and they were real jobs. Do we really know where all the Dart funding comes from?
11:15 But is it really his own money? That’s the worry. What happens if the magic money tree that’s funding all this dies?
CAYMANIANS do something you rarely do – get ACTIVELY INVOLVED, attend the CPA Board Meeting tomorrow Wednesday, speak up, talk to each Board Member before and after the meeting, hold them ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU!
By all means get involved and attend, but the CPA are unelected and not accountable to the public. Hold the politicians accountable.
Hypocrites, dont have the guts, thankfully for this CNS medium where they can express anonymously. Starting from the upper to the lower, all talk no action! Time to wake up and smell the roses. Still in the Dark Ages!
I think Govt needs to grow a pair and write legislation imposing property tax for anyone who owns property valued over 5 million. That way the little people who own a standard house lot are protected while we finally stick it to Dart!
Dart has done more for this island and it’s people than the Government. Look at the by pass, There is and ugly difference between what Dart has built and the NRA.
Govt could also write the legislation excluding land that hasn’t changed hands in say 50 years. Meaning that land which has been in the same family or inherited is excluded from a property tax.
We have no property tax in Cayman
Which is why I clearly stated they should write some tax laws. Please do open your eyes when you read.
I presume you are being sarcastic and agree those are ugly developments especially this last tunnel.
yeh 9.56, cos your experience of tunnels is at expert league, right? Have you seen tunnels in other countries? Concrete messes…
If our Government would start collecting fees and stop giving away duty concessions to DART (and others like him) our country itself would have enough funding to do EVERYTHING Dart has supposedly done, and more; without selling out our country, our people, our children and our future.
This is a disgrace that our so-called elected leaders bow down in reverence holding their hands out for the scraps passed down from this developer while signing away millions and billions of dollars in CURRENT planning, stamp duty, BCU and other fees that could be immediately injected in to education and properly legislated development of our country.
Our politicians sit behind closed-doors and sign these deals that we never see and never know the full content of, but yet for 6 months every 4 years they are ever-present on the streets and more visible than the stop-lights on Elgin Avenue begging for people to vote them back in so that they can continue robbing the poor to give to the rich.
The Ritz was given millions in duty waivers – can Ministry of Tourism or DOT please confirm how much the Cayman Islands Government has collected from stamp duty on residence sales and room taxes in the past 10 years? Have we yet earned all we gave away?
And yet there are shortages of teaching staff, supplies and equipment – water coolers on campus at the public high schools that do not work, moldy a/c units and carpets that aren’t cleaned – understaffed social welfare departments with not enough workers to do home visits as needed and our Premier publicly stating that he will not be considering transitional housing although hundreds of Caymanians and their children are facing homelessness, eviction and repossession…
The PPM’s Cayman
Thank you MM. You are 100% correct. Dart has done no favors for the Cayman Islands all he does is for his benefit. The concession we give him are sinful. If we had those funds we could properly take care of our people and our infrastructure. But the Politicians have taken of the Dart KoolAid and believe that we benefit by giving him what ever he wants. It is time to stop.
Featured comment material right here. Well said MM!
This is what happens when you have boneheads like big mac and alden trying to negotiate business deals with very clever/sly business people.
I can relate to the government. I’m in my house, and I keep doing nice things to make me feel good – paint a room, put in some nice light fittings, maybe a new mirror in the bathroom. Deep down though, I know the foundations of my whole house are rotten to the core, but I don’t want to worry about that kind of thing, only the things that look nice and make me feel good.
Really now. Dart owns over 50% of the island in value, do you think this Government that he owns is going to put a tax that would affect him more than anyone else. Not going to happen. We can really see who is under Dart Power now? When will it stop? I understand that Government will soon be doing a Bond offering, guess who is line to buy 90% of the Government Bonds? I am sure you don’t need three guesses.
I applaud Dart for shopping locally. i.e. the Bond Market
Investment is needed.
ah……..typical approach by Cayman Government and authorities……..always wondering after the horses have already been let out of the gate…..
I read the below somehwere- a perspective on Dartistan
“I told my children starting at a very young age: the middle class is going to be shredded, and you can be on the upward track or the downward track.
The economy must work for everyone or it works for no one. There must be jobs for all skill levels, and a path for economic self-improvement available to all who want it. A growing economy could provide this, as it is constantly producing excess which is used for creating and building. The looting-based economy cannot.
As it becomes more obvious that a major collapse is coming, the looting has become gross and overt, as the rich grab for that last bit of loot before the collapse occurs. They think they will be able to keep it, maybe expat it to Cayman
They will not.”
Chicken Little
I think that if Caymanians don’t show this man and his Politicians some balls things are going to get much worse then he would put everyone in those tunnels to live .
Caymanians aren’t going to show anybody anything. Our politicians are in Dart’s pocket.
I agree; sad but true. All mouth in the living room and no action on the street.
He is Caymanian!!! McKeeva gave it to him along with all those others who got it through the back door instead of through the proper channels. Cant even be revoked when given by government….unlike the ‘real’ status grants (can be lost through not living here/criminal charge).
We all get it Caymanians. Third world GOOD, Developed nation BAD! You don’t have the skill (social or otherwise) to be part of the future so you must try as hard as you can to keep the island living in the past so you can survive. The past is already past. Teaching your kids to live in the future is their only hope. But that is not your culture. The schools are not failing you. You are failing your kids. Like it or not Grand Cayman is part of a world that is moving forward and leaving the past behind it. Other cultures are embracing it and becoming a part of the future. Learning the skills, the laws, the way and that way is good. Its a choice. What will your kids choose?
Grand Cayman is part of the world that is moving forward and leaving everyone behind including you . Don’t worry about my kids they are not worried you.
Thanks God wow are glad you returned, us dummies bow to you.
I wonder why the Premier, and the Speaker is not speaking out about this topic, knowing that Caymanians and long time visitors are unhappy about all the over -development and corruption . I hope and pray that this be a learning experience for them all including Dart .
Does Dart owns CNS?
clearly not…
The area on top of the tunnel is free real estate on SMB . They had a presentation at the Ritz where a video showed what will be created on to of the tunnel- shops building offices and more hotels. What is very sad that all the big companies in Cayman are willingly abandoning their present offoces and move to this comgested concrete monstrosity at $80 or more a sq ft. In the retail space the rent is so high at CB that businesses inevitably go bust and Dart just steps inand takes over.
Luckily not all business fall to his offers like a pied piper. They have been begging my company to jump ship and come over and fortunately the CEO here likes this side of town.
Because successful business owners and CEOs have no idea whether or not they can afford the rent at CB or anywhere else…
Well Shiver me Timbers, NRA finally woke up!! NRA unfortunately government and CPA has no say in the matter. Once the money is flowing to make the government surplus look good what can CPA say or do? The enviornment and the wild life is done. Surprisingly the National Trust and the Bird Watchers Club have all gone silent considering the majority of the migratory birds like the ducks and bald pates used to once fly, feed and nest in the mangroves that once occupied Camana Bay and the Quarry in West Bay. I hope every British and American envorinmentalist reads this article and apply pressure on the government to stop this madness. How can the HRM Queen allow this to happen to one of her territories? The country is actually sold the highest bidder!
Who even goes to Caymana Bay anymore… Speaking with a renowned architect, towns evolve and it’s character comes by way of influence of those who reside and underpin its resonance. They’re not created overnight by an all consuming entity that transcribes the laymen and their being however well intended. Guess we’ll see…
https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21712156-utopia-i-4-what-disneys-city-future-built-look-past-says-about
I agree. The trouble is that when one company owns almost the entire SMB, then its hard to avoid.
“Character comes by way of influence of those who reside and under pin its resonance ” – and on that, who goes downtown anymore, especially after 5.
I bet you anything YOU do!
Cayman has now become the equivalent of a huge model railway layout for the child of incredibly rich parents, who can create whatever “ fantasyland “ his heart desires. As for this second tunnel – perhaps the most ludicrous idea ever proposed on the island – and just how many pedestrians will want to walk from Camana Bay to Seven Mile Beach. It will be interesting to see the wind tunnel effect in a really big “ Norther “.
As the NRA points out, this is just a choke point for freedom of movement on the West Bay road.
The structure is merely an extension of their beach properties so they have more area to build on.
We are being insulted by misleading statements from Dart realty that this is merely a safe crossing for pedestrians.
CPA please do NOT allow this extension they already have too much for a “crossing”.
This tunnel should never have been allowed but unfortunately there is no one in Government that has any foresight or vision. Unfortunately nothing short of a nuclear weapon would remove the concrete and steel that is already in place, This is nothing short of a catastrophic error in judgement. The Government cannot now refuse permission for them to extend it, nor can they refuse permission for anyone else to construct a similar tunnel. So anyone that owns property on both sides of any public road anywhere on the island would have to be given permission to construct a similar tunnel if they wished to do so. The precedent has been set by allowing it to happen and even if they refuse permission to extend it to incorporate the Royal Palms property, Dart will simply appeal the refusal to the Grand Court and the court will rule that it has to be allowed as it would be ‘contrary to the principles of natural justice’ to allow something to happen and then have a change of mind. So there you have it, we are stuck with it and no one knows how many more tunnels are to come. What a mess.
Dart makes the rich richer and leaves the average man behind. Cayman now has a society that is not sustainable. Capitalism on steroids. Time to tax the Uber rich and give back to society.
First: it is a tunnel! Dart does not want us to call it that but it is. Second: Dart will get what he wants! We no longer control the future of or country Dart does. I would like to see the CPA prove me wrong but they will not. Money has replaced any god we may have worshiped as king.
I think actually by definition you have to do some “tunneling” to technically have a tunnel. Now if Dart were to tunnel under say mount trashmore then you’d have yourselves a proper tunnel. Just sayin…
Nothing will happen here. The tunnel will be built. Dart always prevails and they always find a way to negotiate another piece of land or road and then they get granted all these flipping concessions.
Fellow caymanians and residents- dart is changing the landscape of our country before our eyes and we have done nothing.
We must stand up and stop this mess!
Explain how! Who cares about CNS comments ? Just a waste of time! All our comments just falls on deaf ears!
Why has no one considered the glaring question – what happens to the beach access which lies just to the north of Royal Palms? That access is owned by the public. Can we go and object to the CPA about the tunnel blocking our beach access? Come on, Cayman, don’t let this entity and our own government take away this coveted right. Mobilise!
Anonymous 8:47pm , very valid point , if that tunnel is going to block that Public beach access , then Caymanians have all rights to protest the completion of the tunnel and impeach every political figure involved with making that decision.
But that sounds like the intentions now that he heard that gates would be taken down from blocking Public beach access .
Hypothetically (I haven’t seen any plans either) you’ll still have beach access, you’ll just have to walk over a hill (car tunnel) to get to it.
Now, what you need to keep an eye on is Dart’s previous proposals to roll all of their beach accesses up and shift them to new public beaches, i.e., instead of a path to the beach (with no parking) between each property line they’d create a new public beach at the end of their property with more space and more parking etc.
Speaking practically its a good idea since how useful are the beach accesses really? Especially in developed areas. Speaking philosophically … ‘Jack Don’t Want Me To Bathe On My Beach’
It will indeed be interesting to see how really large HIGH pieces of equipement will be able to use either one of these “tunnel”areas but the dye is already cast so only time will tell.
Good point Peter, one I raised in CNS a month ago. I guest any large equipment will have to go around the old road at Camana bay but even that may create problems of width rather that height. I wonder if the CPA gave it any thought?
How about being bright enough to see a piece of equipment or tree won’t fit in the tunnel and do like other countries do, EXIT AND GO AROUND THE TUNNEL.
Because we’re not building a ‘drive around’ road.
Road 2 (‘bypass’) now goes through a tunnel. Road 1 (WBRoad) soon will, even without the tunnel extension now being considered. Road 3 (Camana Bay Internal) no tunnel but narrow with sharp corners, etc.
The point isn’t that someone got their tree stuck, that was a ha-ha, cut it down and back it out. The point is that next time there may be no alternative route for a giant tree or crane or house or whatever. So what should have been done is the national question ‘do we want to reserve corridors for the transport of oversize items’ should have been asked and answered THEN tunnels, etc, approved. We have cut out the option for oversize loads to/from West Bay without thinking about it.
It might be that we decide that nationally a few of these oversize corridors are all that is needed and West Bay Road isn’t one of them any more. But there may be others. For example, when CUC wants to get a new generator they have to figure out the route to truck it from the boat/Port to the power plant.
As a young Caymanian I feel hopeless in my own country. I can never ever in my wildest dreams compete with Dart. So why should I even bother apply myself at school when I have no place in my own country, and will probably never be able to afford a tiny lot of land to build a house on? Oh I know, “study hard and you can be one of darts minions”, no thanks! The thug life is looking more appealing by the day.
That’s the spirit rob and steal for a living, twat.
I know 4 year olds with more heart than you! Keep justifying your laziness and bad decisions while your peers work hard, apply themselves and prosper.
P.S. And when they do become successful after YEARS OF HARD-WORK don’t try to act like they were just given their success. You’re making the decision from now to have a sad pitiful life (and trust me you will) and the rest of us are making the decision to flourish you little brat.
How do you know I won’t become the next El Chapo?
Keep joking with life, I’m sure it’ll turn out great.
You likely have better odds at becoming the next footie star. Try that route instead.
Thug life more appealing – which bits; the one where you get shot in the face by your competitors or the piece where you end up doing 30 years plus in jail?
Why do you have to compete with Dart? What exactly do you plan on achieving ? And what exactly is a dart minion? lol ….listen..
I have friends and family who work with Dart. They work in many different industries- the few we have that is . They are paid well in most cases and all express a sense of security.
Soooooo if you are looking for work security Dart is the way to go. Ironic that you can not see this. You should be excited , however I think your way of perceiving and securing your place, in this case with a sense of “who cares” , sadly will hold you back.
And if you are not keen to working for the man then manipulate a service or product to the same group of people his business drives on to these shores. You are a caymanian after all- a business license is not hard to get. Appreciate crawling before you walk and one day you will run !
As a young man I found mentors in the community and church. This helped me understand matters above my experience and knowledge. It along with my can do attitude propelled me into at present, a secure situation. But know that every day I have a chance to say who cares and give up. Some days more than others :-0
Instead ….I play this game against myself , I challenge myself to be excellent and let the chips fall. While I may not be a Dart . My family and friends, the most important people to me ! Well, in their world and ours I am alot more than Dart. Challenge yourself young buck . I promise you will find everything you ever need this way.
All the best
what if there is a fire in the tunnel the othere one is big enough but this seems narrow, is it safe
Technical point, what will there be to burn? Mind you I can think of a few people I would like to throw on such a fire….
It’s not a tunnel
The west bay tunnel is so big enough for Dart private jet to land on top of tunnel!
““The underpass will achieve our goal of developing a walkable town, with ease of travel from Seven Mile Beach to the North Sound without having to cross a major road or impacting traffic flow,” she said. “The newer, longer underpass will provide additional pedestrian access from Camana Bay to the Seven Mile Beach area, similar to the enhanced experience offered on the Rise, which has already been well-travelled by residents and visitors.””
GTF Jackie Doak.
What is good for Cayman What is good for Dart.
Grand Cayman Camana Bay
I don’t understand why not just a 10 foot wide pedestrian bridge, and have some nice landscaping. Who wants a long dark concrete tunnel.
I’m a Dart fan….usually. I don’t get this one, and please don’t extend further.
i think the bigger story here is something to do with delays on the esterly tibbetts highway…. isense a falling out between dart and nra…..
cave people are back….
caymanians against virtually everything
only caymanians could somehow find issues with a bridge/underpass….
both underpasses will benefit traffic and improve pedestrian safety.end of story.
darts record speaks for itself.
why would he do something to harm his surrounding developments or the surrounding area generally???
Well, the “cave people “ are getting an enormous cave for sure!
Hope the NRA objection prevails. There is no need for this second tunnel – pedestrian overpasses would have sufficed!
@ 5:28pm , remember that if the NRA don’t prevail , I am sure that few hundred people and their signatures should.
God forbid should we have a hurricane and a lot of you thumbs up need to stand on Darts overpass to be rescued.
What is the cost/benefit analysis?
What in fact is this?
How many Caymanians are going to be employed by this?
In what jobs?
For how long?
At what pay?
What exactly is going to be built? We know it is not “just” a tunnel.
How is it going to transform our appearance?
Who are the architects?
Who are the engineers?
Which construction companies are going to build it?
Which real estate companies are going to market it?
Which tiling companies are going to tile it?
Which furniture companies are going to furnish it?
What import duties will be paid to the government?
What stamp duties will be paid to the government?
Will Caymanians be able to use and enjoy it?
Will they feel welcome in doing so?
Who benefits and how?
Who does this hurt and why?
Alden. You have asked these questions, right? So what are the answers?
Are we a country of citizens with aspirations or pawns in a Monopoly game with no prospect of ever owning a part of the board, collecting $200 dollars every circuit to only pay it in rent?
5:22. You must work in the private sector.
Dart has his own construction company so pretty obvious who will do the work. They’ll employ a handful of minimum wage caymanians for a short time and the expats make all the money.
If you are so clever why aren’t you in the LA?
Darts paying for it you numbskull, biggest caymanian employer on the island
No one suggested DART was not paying for it. It is not all about cash. Can this community bear the cost?
The cost is in your slightly addled grey matter alone…
Paying for it out of the money he saved in duty concessions that could have been used to increase teachers and nurses salaries or at least give them a damn bonus for the first time EVER!
The bigger question is why are we building a Cruise Port as the only place the could go to the beach other than the Public Beach is now being walled off and Royal Palms removed..Where will the tourists go??? Why waste money to build a port?
Do we really think that Dart is going to build a nicer beach club…me thinks it is not in the cards..
Guess you don’t know Dart is financing/securing the Port Project with the cruise lines Oh and will also own Kirk Freeport now Royal Palms have sold. Much bigger things at play here and the government are aware and approving the plans. Guess we know who is benefiting in this session…
I heard the idea that the new “Wellness Hotel” across from Kirk Supermarket is where the cruise ship visitors will go for the day. Not a great beach but may have good snorkeling.
Not one we’ll be welcome in anyway.
And don’t think he’ll want 6 ships’ worth of cruise ship passengers descending on the land right next to the Kimpton.
Well what do we have here. Where is the beautiful Seven Mile Beach I remember in the 80’s and 90’s?
I may just go visit Florida instead when it gets really cold up North instead. Has Little Cayman and Cayman Brac kept the beauty of an escape to tranquilty and complete relaxation without so many buildings?
Unfortunately Dart has purchased quite a bit of land on Little Cayman as well. So, we’ll see what Little Dart Island ends up looking like
Come to the Brac, none of that Miami type crap going on here!
It’s coming! Better come soon!
No thanks.
Yet! Dart will prevail.
That’s the understatement of the year ??
I love the Caymans, yes so far because he is not finished with Cayman yet, but won’t be long before he move to Little Cayman. So get your last beautiful memory vacation in this year .
Cayman Islands Government don’t think that this long time visitor are being funny, allot of the millions of people that have the same memories would be saying the same thing.
What and where are “the Caymans”?
A beautiful set of Islands purchased by the Dart Foundation which is located in the Caribbean.
I truly apologize if I said it wrong. My entire family and I have been travelling there quite often. We fell in love with the crystal clear waters, the friendly people, their warm welcome, the delicious food that are locally grown. I remember the turtle meat with rice with red beans and the lady I remember saying she would add coconut milk in it and some peppers but my memory does not recall the exact name. It had a tasteful flavour and a pit of spice but it was manageable. There was also a fruit that included the name “bread” in it, it was a part of the starch group and she mixed it with beets to give it that sweet and purplish colour. That along with some fresh cut coconut water and a piece of corn bread enjoyed at the comfort of the beautiful ocean view, calm cool winter breeze, hearing kids playing, whilst everyone was happy, content and got along with each other, my family and I would pay thousands yearly just for this 1-2 week experience. We will book our vacation to visit Cayman Brac and Little Cayman as we want to visit Owen’s Island as I remember being told of how lovely it is.
I want to thank you all for your comments and I apologize once again if I called the island by the wrong name.
May God bless The Cayman Islands and its beautiful people!
It’s called breadfruit.
I expect a lot of our visitors will be looking for better places to vacation. The way things are going now, it won’t be long before Grand will be about the same as Miami. Disgusting! Mr. Dart has plenty of cash with which to buy Cayman land and Cayman politicians. It’s sad.
Yep, and the Cayman politicians are getting fatter and fatter. Just look at them! All that fat is going to crackle in hell’s fire.
Its so sad to see this tiny island being wrecked by stupid tunnels we didn’t need any of this built in the first place as we done just fine without it all for years why now, STOP !!!! or please government step up to DART now ENOUGH Is ENOUGH !!!! change is good in some cases is fine, but this gone way to far changing the look completely of this once beautiful island very sad !!
Dart can only buy what Caymanians will sell him. The organization goes about its business quietly, with little fanfare. And only a few are watching.
It will be a story embedded in history and ends up in College case studies.
Who really thinks that tge cpa board members have any opportunity to consider this?? These things already approved at Ministry level. Wasting your time.
If this overpass is for pedestrians how come it’s gargantuan scale looks more like its built to take a fully mechanised invasion force from the beach. Pedestrian crossing my a$$. Enough is enough, this man is turning our island into a concrete metropolis before our eyes. He got kicked out of other countries well before he got to do this. Obviously he’s found a push-over place where he can get his way by flashing a few $$$ to the right people. Soon our island won’t be known for its Seven Mile Beach but for its seven mile concrete concourse.
The next headline might soon read “Dart bridge to span over the newly dredged North Sound”. Think I’m mad well wait and see.
Our political sellouts have aspirations of pi$$ing green and are bending over backwards for this meglocapitalist now the flood gates are fully open.
Same arguments were used for the ETH extension, funny how quiet it is now. When did Dart build anything ugly? Get over yourself.
Take your rosy glasses off and quit drinking that koolaid. Your metropolitan mindset is responsible for your liking of these mega ugly developments on this island.
Some people need to stay where they are instead of changing the landscape of the place they’re in to suit where they’re from or where they’ve been.
That tunnel is ugly and has no place in Cayman!
My problem with the tunnel now, it collects alot of dirt and dust from cars. Who cleans up the tunnel? I see what appears to be fans but no one maintaining it. To me it is becoming an eyesore. From Mt. Trashmore to the Worm Hole ????
Remember back in the day when you used to be able to go crabbin’ on West Bay Road? The white land crabs used to be in abundance on the Camana Bay site, sadly they were evicted because, well, money talks! The real Native Caymanians (not people but wildlife) are the real losers since Dart showed up on these shores. Dart and his companies don’t give a crap about the environment, XXXXX
It’s all about the money!!!
4:08pm , and the same goes for the Politicians too .
The tunnel is already going to be there, 195 more feet makes no material difference to the points raised by the NRA. Seems they are late to the party.
seems like they got their own agenda….
probably a little jealous to see how proper construction in a timely manner looks like…
Yes it does, what if everyone up and down the beach decides the want to build a tunnel as well..
We are setting precedent and unfortunately our government only see dollars..
What is wrong with a bridge like at the old Hyatt or the Ritz?
A 200ft pedestrian pass ..does anyone every think we will have enough pedestrian to make that necessary?
Is there a plan to build on top of it?
Yes, but it’s secret. Can you imagine planning giving you planning permission to build the ground floor of a building without knowing how tall it will be or what it will look like?
So secret that it was presented publicly on more than one occasion!
This is funny, the NRA had no idea about this? So why have the green light for this project. Can anyone see the irony in this?
The NRA objection is a joke since they approved the first one. The NRA is a joke costing the country a fortune. Go back to being a government department and get Mark Scotland back in charge.
Uninterrupted pedestrian access from Camana Bay to Royal Palms ( Dart owned ), but now restricted pedestrian access along West Bay Road ( Government owned ). Don’t get me wrong, I am not anti Dart, he is making a lot of improvements on the Island, but this tunnel project does not make any sense at all for too many reasons to list here.
It makes perfect sense if a hotel is built on the Royal Palms site. Guests will be able to walk from the hotel building directly to Camana Bay without leaving Dart property.
Hope this doesn’t go forward…
Wonder how the first one was approved… No need for that at all 🙁
The section of road in question is more than wide enough for sensible drivers to pass each other. The issue is not the road, it is the driving standards. It is not helped by cyclists or pedestrians who decide to walk down there, even though there is a very good and secure bypass path built up by the burger restaurant there down to the “Pink” plaza as I call it. The laziness of people to use that path, which would make them and the driving community safer in my book means they deserve what they get.
Pedestrian access from Camana Bay to 7 Mile Beach ? Interesting to see just how many Camana Bay shoppers choose to walk across the new access in the blistering midday sun next July. Of course, no-one amongst the hundreds of managers at DART-Decco world ever have considered that a factor. Both tunnels are a blight & eyesore on the 7 mile corridor. What you have now is a race track , where drivers outdo each other at 70 mph. Then spin out on the round-about ..LOL
I kinda liked the old West Bay road better; before the Westin and the Ritz and Water Colours and Camana Bay ect… The Cayman I love and grew up in is lost forever.
No one will ever walk across either bridge, especially when there are 10 story buildings in the way and a beer costs $10.
Then how do you explain all the walkers and joggers using the top of the ETH overpass. Seems like a lot of people use it already
Here’s a challenge to everyone who hates development and progress so much; speak with your actions!
You don’t like the Ritz, Westin, Camana Bay? Simple solution, DON’T EVER STEP FOOT IN ANY OF THOSE PLACES AGAIN. I bet not one of you can actually do that though.
Everyone loves nostalgia but the constant moaning about Dart is so tired, predictable and misguided. What would Cayman be right now without Dart pushing our economy forward? We literally pushed through a global downturn without so much as a scratch. Does anyone actually realize how lucky we are to have done that? No, we just constantly complain without realizing how much people in the rest of the world have been ACTUALLY SUFFERING over the past few years. With Dart there has been almost constant construction, attracting countless companies and tourists to their developments and making Cayman an attractive place to live on so many levels.
No one should be able to go unchecked but for the large part he’s building structures that have benefited Cayman and will continue to benefit Cayman for years to come. Also, we as Caymanians (yes there are Caymanians who have enough foresight to realize that Dart has been for the most part a huge positive for our islands) need to stop selling our land to Dart and then turning around and complaining he owns all the land. He didn’t magically acquire it. Don’t take his money and then complain that’s just the peak of hypocrisy. Stop with the child-like mentally and crying all the time.
If we were to really have an island stuck in time as so many of you wish, you know what would happen? Brain drain. Intelligent, young Caymanians with a global mindset (aka the future of this country) DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN THE PAST and will leave if we were to revert back to the simple seafaring nation we once were. So please stop with the fruitless nostalgia and look to the future to make sure you and your family are secure and growing along with the rest of the world.
Cayman does not exist in a vacuum.
By that token, shouldn’t that mean that some of the talent that resides here now wouldn’t have wanted to leave countries with this level of development in the first place? People from all over the world (including members of Dart senior management) chose a Cayman that was less polished because it had a certain something about it and that something included charm. But that is vanishing before everyone’s eyes.
What happens if sugar daddy Dart decides to pack his bags and leave Cayman one day? Who pays to maintain these mega structures?
Never going to happen. He is not going anywhere. Dart has nowhere else to go. Sounds like you have not done your homework on Dart. This is old news.
You’re right which is why CIG should grow a pair of balls and impose property tax on Dart!!!
Much bigger players than Dart have gone bankrupt over the years for a variety of predictable and unpredictable reasons. Just look at what has happened in Nassau with the Chinese.
Very wise words. Most family businesses/empires fail by the third generation. Not sure what his succession planning looks like but my advice to young Caymanians would be to get in line and start working your way up the ladder.
3:40pm . The then Government would just want to demolish to avoid the maintenance . I think that it doesn’t matter if he stay or go because Government would owe him so much money they won’t be able to do anything legally with anything he is done . That’s how nearsighted these politicians are .
Good riddance.
Dart is taking over the country roads what else the going take over in town he future?
Our wast management system, Just got picked my CIG. tourism he owns most top hotels. He owns major liquor distributors. The list goes on on an. The important thing is he owns the CIG. He has is claws in so deep that even well meaning officials have no say.
Everything I hope.
I am already worried by the 3 lanes which people are clueless how to use. Lane switchers Heaven it is
Hardly the lanes fault that the standard of driving is so poor! The finished road is excellent.
I never understood how/why it was allowed to cut access of the entire island in half. You never know when you may need unfettered access (height) down that road.
It will likely and ironically be by Dart himself to get large construction items to newer developments further North like next to Kimpton
lol..
Island not cut in two. You can still drive with no height restrictions through the center of Camana Bay. This joins up with the highway to the north and south.
Quite a precedent will all developers of West Bay road properties be given the same privilege of developing a bridge and owning the land above the road. This would really change the landscape, we could end up driving in one long tunnel between West Bay. Especially in the areas where the developer own both sides of the road this would be an attractive proposition. What if any is the criteria used, does the amount invested have to exceed a certain amount, is the option open to everyone.
Submit your application
You should start wondering about this precedent and how it may travel east to so many beach parcels disconnected roads and currently ‘unbuildable’ due to setbacks….
I’m already planning my ocean view condos above a planned South Sound Road tunnel….errr I mean underpass
Thank you CNS for reporting on this.
Curious if the allegedly Dart owned local newspaper will report on this at all.
Yes it probably will be hidden, in the notices section
It may be reported in the Dart controlled Compass but it will be well bleached.
Please rename : The Cayman Islands to The Dart Islands!!!!!!!!!
Nothing in the Compass and also no mention on the morning radio show.