Concrete and codes challenge GT revamp
(CNS): Plans to regenerate and reinvigorate George Town are still, after more than six years, in the very early visionary stages and the ambitious project is facing numerous challenges, from the amount of concrete and asphalt needed to problems with building codes and planning regulations. During a public meeting in the capital Thursday, the team from the planning ministry outlined many ideas about improving George Town, but it was very clear this plan is still a long way from taking shape.
While Deputy Chief Officer Tristan Hydes, George Town Manager and Revitalisation Initiative Coordinator Colin Lumsden and Policy Analyst Charles Brown presented some of the ideas they are contemplating, they also outlined the challenges the project faces, which Lumsden said were so numerous he could write a book. But the three enthusiastic planners dodged the biggest challenge of all, which is how this project fits with the government’s proposal to construct cruise berthing facilities in the middle of the harbour.
While the issue of cargo operations clashing with the re-ignition of George Town’s night life was acknowledged, there were no real solutions on offer, despite their enthusiasm that, with “a lot of hard work”, the significant challenges ahead could be addressed.
Lumsden, who gave the main presentation to a room of more than 50 people at the newly named Constitution Hall, raised the problem of the lack of trees and green space in George Town, which will be a priority to address. No more than 1% of the capital is green, which Lumsden said was a “very low number”, stressing that “trees are always good” and insisting that the goal was to plant many of them.
But with some 99% of the capital covered in asphalt and also difficult to walk around, the team has its work cut out. Ideas included planting trees in road medians and around intersections and sidewalks, and the ministry planning experts are looking at the idea of ‘pocket parks’, where people can rest in small areas with plenty of greenery and shade, which Lumsden said could also reduce the temperature of the capital.
Lumsden lamented the decline of George Town, which he said began in the 1990’s with the imposition of modern building codes and single-use zones that have diminished the character of the capital.
Another major issue is the need to change the building codes and single-use zoning to enable mixed developments that include apartments and coffee shops in the same building. But with the vast majority of property in George Town in dozens of different private sector hands, how this transformation, which is clearly supported by the public, could become a reality remains in question.
While the team has identified the many challenges and created potential solutions, the actual implementation is many years away. But work on the roads continues and the street beautification that the ministry proposes is likely to begin soon.
Hoping for public involvement, the three men indicated that there would be many more meetings. They said they were creating social media platforms to engage the public and specific stakeholders in George Town about how this proposed revamp could take shape.
Category: development, Local News
The Cargo dock, Sol and Rubis need to go East to the Central Mangrove. It’s time we decentralize GT. Imagine all the large truck traffic diverted away from town. You will actually be able to hear the sea.
I have seen this presentation about two or three times now. Talk about a bunch of lazy people in that Ministry. Just talk no action. Please move aside and give others an opportunity to fix this.
Every time they try to do something they end up proving their incompetence. And the people love them.
Caymanians tearing down Caymanians and offering zero solutions.
Thank you Ministry team for trying and for really engaging the public. We are proud of our Civil Service
Bullshit. Caymanians tried to undertake mixed use developments in George Town decades ago. The people that are being treated with some disdain now are the same ones that played a role in preventing what was needed, and have overseen the cheapening of our capital.
9:00pm
Stop it, please I beg you.
There are several suggestions in here. The main ones include:
1. Define the physical boundaries for this new GT redevelopment
2. Change the building code that will apply within these boundaries to:
-promote mixed-use developments
-reduce the amount of concrete and asphalt required, particularly on roads, sidewalks and other paving
-increase the amount of green space required
-and so on
3. Introduce new economic incentives to promote the type of development that you wish to have in these boundaries.
It started when they paved over the area outside the court house and called it ‘heroes square” – before that heroic idea we had shade trees, grass and benches to sit on… every statue & sculpture there now could have been added to the already green area & prevented this disaster of an “initiative”. Stop stupid spending on an idea that won’t work – all we need in town are more green areas, less concrete. And stop renaming our buildings! they were fine just as they’ve always been named!
I completely agree with you about Heroe’s Square. Moreover there is no where to sit or anywhere in George Town. Many years ago Rotary built with the assistance of the prison and installed benches but they all disappeared. The last time I contacted the prison they were happy to assist again. Since then two Rotary clubs have offered their services but to no avail. Thus their work and that of the Rotaract clubs can be seen on the outskirts of town such as the small park opposit Delworths, and in the outlying districts.
I am sure all the service clubs and the Chamber of Commerce would assist on a George Town beautification project.
Good article Chris. Wonder if the prisoners borrowed the benchers.
It was ROTARY that planted the trees in Cardinal avenue. I remember it took over a year to get permits just for that.
Good points as usual Chris but I used work for the COC and we tried to implement a new beautification project for GT. With solutions such as making Cardinal Ave auto free and creating new green areas but faced so many obstacles that we eventually decided not to pursue it.
Now some 10 years nothing has been done and Dart ruined GT when he purchased all the shops and moved his prime businesses to Camana Bay, this was intentional. Wind sails could be installed in the Heroes Square Park and the Tower and Glass House sites turned in to family friendly parks with picnic areas, kids pool and lots of native trees.
Dart did not kill GT. Our government and planning department did.
Either way, Darts going to eventually buy GT for a nice low price soon since Govt’ has done such a good job devaluing it for the past 20 years.
Let’s hope so.
Dart’s landholding in George Town pale to those of the Kirkconnell’s, yet no one ever seems to complain about that, except maybe the Cook-Boddens.
Downtown was ruined more by cruise ship tourists than anything else and we all know who is the biggest champion for the cruise ship docks. Why would anyone want to have offices or to do anything in central GT with hoards of cruise tourists mucking it up? However, there seems to be plenty of perfume and jewellery shops that cater exactly to that crowd. I’m not saying Dart doesn’t have skin in the GT game, but let’s be honest and look who had the most to lose/gain if government hadn’t sold its soul to the almighty cruise ship dollar. And it looks likely that the situation is going to get worse if the government insists on building these docks. Hopefully there will be a referendum on the matter and it will get voted down before George Town is transformed into a tacky mess forever more.
11.44am I was there when the trees were removed and a certain MLA who was also there supervising, claimed they were removed because they were diseased. I watched the trees cut down and there was absolutely no sign of disease in any of the trees.”Heroes” were more important than the environment.
All those big concrete pavers at Hero’s Square are a perfect example of Passive Solar. You can hardly stroll through there during the day for the radiant heat coming off the surfaces.
However, in defense of removing the greenery, bush and trees that were there before.. there were… people… (vagrants?) using that area as their personal daytime hotspot/hang out. Without being too disgusting here, you could acctually smell the urine depending on the time of day as you walked by.
CNS, I don’t know if you can post this. It is not going to be a very popular opinion. But I distinctly remember this issue and the popo trying without success, to keep the area clear of those that were loitering.
Sadly, that is actually going to be the problem with ANY parks or green spaces developed in GT. It could turn into a virtual campground for the homeless.
And indeed in the meeting it was mentioned that there are people that sleep on the benches that are left in GT. Like around the port, in case you were not aware.
Just sayin.
Anyone remember the local food spot on Cardinal Avenue that was always rammed full of locals and tourists mixing happily and enjoying great food that is now a Magnum Jewellers with staff standing around doing absolutely nothing? And the trees that were cut down to allow them to build this?
I was a child, at most a teenager, at the time, and I ate at that place. I remember the counter and the tables and the trees. It is a hot, charmless concrete mini jungle because these same people along with the CPA let it become one!
Idiots!!! Are they JUST figuring out now you can’t put back what is already gone? They’re going to put trees in medians?!
I am as Caymanian as it gets but I just hate the sheer total amount of stupidity and ignorance we have here. It’s overwhelming! Could you all PLEASE just retire and let my generation use its considerable brain power, exposure to the wider world, and confidence to do what is necessary to restore the quality of this place? You can tell us what it used to look like before you gave permission for it to be destroyed, and we’ll put it back the way it was. We really don’t care how much money anyone has or who they are. I just hope these morons live long enough to see.
I want to like your post a thousand times more 10.15
Then let’s run for office in a few years! You know, we have to pay our dues first and all that so we can learn how to become jaded and venal.
This government as well as in the past will pass laws, talk about these initiatives but as soon as one of their benefactors feel like it might get in the way of their plans to grab more money complain to them about it then they scuttle it. They are so corrupted they will turn themselves into pretzels until they change it. They do not care about the island or the masses-just their “people.” You all know who they are and yes you keep voting for them. You are all complicit.
All is vanity. The trees and benches were taken out – there was an excuse that they were attracting drug-smoking and alcohol-drinking bums – and replaced with monuments to our fragile egos. I have nothing against celebrating our history and our founders who carved a nation out of a rather inhospitable place to live, but sacrificing one of the last green spots in George Town to do that was unwarranted. While there were definitely heroes in our history, getting a name on that wall became more about who you or your descendants knew, rather than the scope of contribution. I’m not saying that anyone on that list wasn’t a nice person who contributed, but heroes should really be heroes, lest you water down the significance of the word and the honour.
Move the dump to GT and solve 2 issues!
Please use native trees/plants. They are practically maintenance-free, and important for native fauna, but fast disappearing. It should be a no-brainer..
Another grand scheme idea by Kurt, that is just as thought through as OfReg. A waste of money, that wonāt serve any value at all.
25 years ago developers tried to have mixed use developments in George Town. The same government organization now pushing for them refused to even consider it. Are we ever going to hold anyone accountable? The lunatics are running this asylum. Most of our problems can be traced back to civil service incompetence. Franz can proclaim they are first class all he wants. Many of them are a disaster.
Reminds me of the movie ‘ One flew over the Cuckoos Nest’.
Not necessarily Franz. The ministers and their helpers go ahead and pass the laws then when their friend complains they make a Uturn and forget about it for a few more years. They have been selling us down the river because they can get away with it.
If Franz does not stand up to politicians, and allows the civil service to be incompetent and dance to the bidding of elected incompetents, then he and the civil service cannot shirk all responsibility.
What happened to the great plan for George Town to be developed by the group set up by Mckeeva years ago…Kearney Gomez, Carson Ebanks and Kenneth Ebanks?
And how much is Lumsden being paid to come up with f@%k all
It was in Linford Pearson’s time actually 7.33 , not Mac.
Ha….Ha…..Ha…..Ha.. whoever wrote this comment regarding K. Gomez, Carson Ebanks and Kenneth Ebanks developing a plan for George town should be a comedian. I’m still laughing.
Three blind mice.
See how they run.
WTF did I just read?
Have they fixed the damn dump yet?
6 years later and still at sqaure one….classic ppm.
“With a lot of hard work the challenges could be addressed”. Herein lies the problem “hard work” is and always has been an anathema to our Civil Servants, a problem that could be addressed by employing more expatriates.
I thought it was simply work that was the anathema….
First up, why is it that so many of the existing pedestrian crossing in the centre of GT do NOT have signs to identify them to the pedestrians? To many persons attempt to cross roads when they are within 50 yards/metres of an unsigned crossing.
Great point – another thing is even the ones who see the crosswalks think weāre going to run them over. I rolled down my window to tell a family the other day that we have to stop if anyone stands at the edge so they should just do that (thank you wave still appreciated).
The best new crossing that has been installed is the one by the exit of the Butterfield roundabout by the cricket field.
Whoever thought that was a good place to put a pedestrian crossing is a complete and utter muppet.
SSM345 CNB roundabout, not Butterfield roundabout….
Ignore him. He high.
The caption on the picture should be the dumb leading the blind. #JOEYWHO
#JOEYWHO
š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£
Don’t worry. The Honourable Who will be voted into office by the citizens of Whoville for decades to come because he knows whose bread to butter and has the lodge behind him. Count on it.
ROFLOL who are they trying to fool?
They better ask their master Lord Dart for permission financing and technical expertise of real town planners
Guys, you are biting off the traditional more than u can chew. This is not a case of build it and they will come nonsense. All one has to do is visit the marina area, main attraction areas to understand that caymana bay is the real town centre now- look at how ram pack it is on certain evenin especially weekend. GT is dead and just for work or cruise tourism, has been for many years and will remain that way unless multiple millions of dollars and some type of community will grow out of.
Poor Joey couldnāt organize a piss up in brewery much less the revitalization of GT
Joey is a pompous clown that lacks depth. I wish I could vote instead for his brother Richard Hew.
He is just a puppet of the premier and does what he is told to do. This is just an ideal job for him as he does nothing.
Donāt we all – but Richie is a serious guy so we have him in charge of our electricity supply instead. (No griping about short, infrequent power outages in the Caribbean please – we have the best in the region).
I have never found Joey to be pompous or a clown. The Planning Dept. and the Building Code they have blindly imported and adopted is the roadblock. It really needs the political will to go through the large document and throw out all the superfluous stuff that is getting in the way of all businesses and construction throughout the islands. A simple test of applied common sense should be used. The largest part of the problem is not laziness but lack of vision and know-how. Town is used during the day but not at night because it is relatively dark. What makes busy night-time places such as Picadilly Circus, Times Square, Las Vegas Strip buzz? It is the lights. The advertising revenue from lighted displays can pay for itself. Reliable safe inexpensive transport in and out of Town would also help. Having entertainment in town regularly and pedestrianising the area would also assist while there is entertainment while providing local performers with money.
Political will, drive and policy direction comes the Minister. Maybe you should have a word with your friend #JOEYWHO who lacks all the leadership qualities and common sense you stated to improve GT
Agreed that he’s not pompous, but he does have some clown-like characteristics, if clowns can be dimwitted political sycophants who have two hands with which to grab a much booty as they can.
i really don’t think that he is pompous but I do believe he is looking out for himself first and foremost.
It’s both.
Joey Hew is another uneducated politician from WB that cannot find a job that pays this well doing anything else. He has no track record of success in anything besides being a mason which is not a qualification.
Another waste of time meeting from the PPM.
No plans and no real progress just more talk from Minister of Planning Joseph Hew and his Ministry team.
The sad thing is joey thinks he should be the next leader of the PPM which based on his track record is laughable. Only lodge can push him to the leadership role
Multizone proposals and codes/planning regulation issues were brought up 19 years ago during committee meetings AT the planning department. At the time they said multizones couldnt be achieved, yet Dart turned up and suddenly they could be. In almost 20 years, government are still pointing out the problems but unable to come up with solutions!!
Classic Civil Service. World class excuses.
I donāt get this.
Building codes and the amount of asphalt are driven and decided by Government.
The amount of poured concrete is regulated by Government.
You mean to tell me that you had a meeting to tell the public that the organisation that you (Lumsden, Hydes, et. al.) work for, is to blame?
Smfh!