$500k contract signed for work on George Town park
(CNS) UPDATED – 23 July: The tourism ministry has now responded to CNS questions about the cost of the Scranton Park project. Earlier this month a contract as signed with Robson Construction to build the first part of Phase 1 of the new government-owned park located behind the Government Administration Building and officials have now confirmed this will cost just under CI$500,000. A fully equipped youth centre will be the first building at Central Scranton Park, according to a release, though it is unclear why the tourism ministry is leading the park project, which is designed for residents rather than visitors.
The project, which was started under the previous administration, is in the heart of Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan’s George Town Central constituency. The overall price tag for this recreational facility has not yet been revealed, though it is understood to be in the millions. CNS has contacted the ministry in relation to the costs and we have since received a response but the ministry was unable to supply the final overall costs.
Construction of the youth centre is scheduled to commence in mid-August and is expected to be completed by January 2025. The release said the second part of Phase 1 will involve landscaping work and the installation of water features around the pond. According to the open tender, it also includes the construction of entrance structures and gazebos.
The second phase involves the construction of a seniors’ centre, a bathroom block and a multi-purpose court for various sports, including basketball and football. The ministry has not revealed the cost of the contract for the youth centre or the expected costs of the two open contracts for the second part of Phase 1 and for Phase 2.
In addition to the $272,000 to acquire the land, at least six contracts have been awarded so far in relation to this project. According to the government’s procurement site, about CI$575,000 has been spent on at least five of the earlier contracts and the acquisition of additional land, including clearing and demolition work and a $35,000 wishing well. With confirmation that the latest contract is valued at $449,779.56 bringing the running total to date to over $1.2million.
Officials were unable to state how much is expected to be spent on the further phases which are still open to bidders.
According to the release the aim of the park is to provide a safe communal area in the heart of George Town to promote sports, recreational activities and community engagement for residents of all ages. When it is complete, the park will cover more than three acres.
Bryan said, “I have been working closely with the Minister of Planning, Agriculture, Housing, Infrastructure, Transport and Development (PAHITD) and teams from the Public Works Department to develop preliminary plans and site drawings that I look forward to sharing with the public.
“The provision of this type of facility is long overdue. The Central George Town area has very little space allocated for community and recreation activities. In fact, studies have shown that only 0.1% of public open green space currently exists within this area, which highlights the urgent need for this type of public amenity.
“Once completed, the Central Scranton Park will provide a beautiful, community-friendly space that will be a tremendous asset to the George Town area, and I am confident that it will encourage residents to not only walk and exercise but to also socialise together in a safe, communal environment,” the minister added.
The official groundbreaking ceremony for the park, which is expected to take place on Thursday, 12 September, will be open to the public. The ministry is encouraging residents from communities all across Grand Cayman to attend, as the event will provide an opportunity to view visual renderings of the park and learn more about its development.
Tenders for the two open contracts for the Central Scranton Park project are currently published on the CIG Bonfire Central Procurement site.
Interested parties have until 29 July to bid on the projects.
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Category: development, Local News, Politics
The fleecing of government coffers continues same names same schemes and nothing done and no questions asked either the island overrun by south Asians and Jamaicans now African influencers running scams right from our shores. Who are we saving this place for Cayman who ???
How is this company getting every government contract all of a sudden?
A wishing Well?? As a dearly loved past primary school teacher used to tell us “small things amuses small minds” How are grown ass politicians allowed to indulge themselves in such silliness. I am not against the “centre” being built to benefit the Scranton folks but spending $35,000 on a wishing well is mere madness. What benefit will be derived from this well?. I suppose the Minister do realise that coins are usually thrown in the well when a wish is made. The coins are taken out periodically and spent to enhance the surrounding area. Will someone be hired to guard the well? Who does he think will get the coins first!
Dear CNS – it seems to me based on the helpful documents shared on the CIG Procurement website that a business case would be required for this project. Is there a business case and, if not, why? The fact that the Minister has spent more than $500k for various parts of the project seems to be a blatant contravention of the Procurement Act which states: “an entity shall not split or subdivide a contract to acquire goods, services or works in order to limit competition or to avoid the requirements under this Act”.
This is Kenneth legacy. At Least he will have someplace to sit when he is out of a job next year.
Remember we voted for this.
Sad times. Slush fund projects continue.
From the airport $20million renovation fiasco, and the 2$million plastic boardwalk to the GT rip up project.
Cant PWD and the school interns build a flippin park??!! SpongeBob, Shelby and Squidward would do better!
Why is the Tourism Minister signing a contract for a local park. Is he the Minister of Everything?
Acting Deputy Premier LMAO
35k for a wishing well?
For beer drinking druggies to pee in.
We can all go and wish they would all disapear!
No wonder they kept this a secret…
Where is the use case published for this so that the public can read and comment on it?
Will this be like the Public park in Prospect next to the WeirdMart / Drug Den / Illegal Shack Housing? All that did was provide extra parking and dumping space for that sh1t hole. Thanks, you utterly useless MPs or MLAs or whatever the hell you call yourselves these days.
The ‘Honourable’…
🤣
Robson?? Over priced construction firm of choice for the UDP. They are usually the highest priced bid, and “somehow” seem to get lots and lots of contracts, particularly if McKeeva is a part of the Govt
They must like him or he must like them.
Downtown pedestrian way debacle, northside “why”, and now this. New Silverados and Changans for Christmas!!!
Again? They just got them last Christmas
Fix the Damn Dump!!!
There is no proposal to do this. Shouting for a plan that isn’t tabled anywhere, won’t work.
Lets spend that money as election is near folks!
at least i will know where to score.
These clowns? Or a different Robson Construction?
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/06/unexpected-gt-road-closure-causes-traffic-chaos/
Someone needs to start connecting some dots.
Beneficial ownership register.
Why are the people of GTC not permitted to use the government owned boat launch at the end of the runway Kenny?
Maybe because it’s only for the fire service rescue boat.
You can go launch at the public barcadere ramp anyway.
No it’s not. It’s a public launch which is currently only allowed to be used by friends of Kenny who have the gate key.
For anyone wondering the OP is referring to the old ramp at the end of / accessible through Tropical Gardens (end of Sorrel Dr if you’re using a map) and immediately adjacent to the runway but outside of the airport fence. (The plot is large enough to accommodate trailer parking as well, if fixed up.)
Having used the ramp decades ago it was a viable launching point for GT access to the North Sound. However destruction of the dock, and loss of access to the ramp, appear to have rendered it unusable for several decades now.
Except that it’s being used as a launch for a number of large boats now. So hardly “unusable for decades”.
Fair enough: awkward to use without a dock (last time I boated past). Or trailer parking I believe but perhaps you know better regarding that?
This government can waste some money. How about they finish the other projects they started.
1.35pm If it takes as long as the “Link Rd” to North Church St. all our youths will have reached middle age by the time it’s finished.
Did you mean old age? 😆
Robson Construction? – let’s hope they do a better job than they did on the pedestrianization of George Town.
Be fair, it’s not finished yet. Give them a few more years to complete the job.
They got the Northside project too!
Election time!
Crime spot to come shortly after construction.
Yep, 12:09. As they say, you can put lipstick on a pig but it remains a pig. But Mr Bryan will have gotten his votes by that time and he can blame someone else for the druggies and ne’er do wells that always have and always will hang around Scranton. Ah so it go.
A pond? Put in a public pool and employ lifeguards
A pond is a great idea.
Sounds like socialism to me. Providing services to the tax paying public? For FREE? By the Government? Go back to china if you like communism so much.
The China that has eradicated poverty? The China that is the global leader in GDP now?
Would you use a public pool there…?
Can we please have some decent shade trees and seating to actually make the place appealing for people to visit.
11.18am
That was the plan for our very own Champs Elysee, our grandiose Cardinal Ave.
Can’t wait to see Mac riding his unicycle over the cobblestones.
Wait, I’m off island right now. Did they put in cobblestones? If so just wondering what pedestrian conditions are for disabled and the infirm who would could have considerable difficulties on cobblestones. Did they make provision for that?
Where is the use case for this procurement?
What is the Glass House for? Bonfire is the right noun for how we spend money on stupid things.
To house all our civil servants, but now we have thousands located around George Town, in rental properties, many owned by ‘you guessed it’, civil servants!.
Gov employees “I’m in the hood, ratatataaaa”
I take it the $35K Wishing Well is not a place where you throw money for charity and make a wish, but someplace you can stick your hand in and pull money out?
Tis the season
Community parks and playgrounds are nice in theory. But Cayman is just too hot to go outside. There are several district parks and playgrounds that have been around for decades and I have never seen a live body in them, except for the fellows blowing the leaves out the gates.
But I am concerned about this new park. It is ruining a well known area for illegal activities that CIG has been carefully monitoring for decades from the highest offices of the GOAB and Glass House.
That’s because the clowns in power have never heard of a thing called “shade”.
How did Caymanians survive this long if being outside is “too hot”?
Sitting in their government SUVs or Lincoln LOL
…and propping up bars
They pulled down almost all the trees in town, except for the one outside Parliament.
wasteful use of land and something that will not work…there is little or no residential communities in the area.
ghetto playground for drug dealers in the making….
no wonder kenny is behind this nonsense
To be mothballed by the next Government, of which Kenny will not be a part.
Let us pray and hope that he is not
youth centre?…what is this 1985????
luaghable pandering to the electorate and desperate late attempt to say they have done something…
1960’s/1970’s…