Scranton Park akin to Central Park in NY, says minister
(CNS): The groundbreaking for Scranton Park will take place on 12 September in Kenneth Bryan MP’s George Town Central constituency. The tourism minister, who has championed the ambitious project, even though it does not fall under his portfolio, said it will be like Central Park in New York, providing facilities for everyone in the biggest and best green park in the country.
He said its purpose was to give something back to the wider community, especially seniors and families, as it will have senior and youth centres on a park site that could grow if land becomes available.
Speaking on Radio Cayman on Friday, the minister urged everyone to attend the groundbreaking ceremony because the full plans, final architect’s design, and rendering will all be unveiled at the event. Bryan said that it was much more than a park, and the senior centre would be an intrinsic part of the project.
“I have been working very, very hard for a very long time to complete this park,” he said, before noting the length of time it had taken to steer the project through the procedural bureaucracy. He said work has now started on what he said was “for all of Cayman” before admitting it was a “large investment”. To date, some CI$1.2 million has been spent on the project, with far more to come.
“It’s almost like Central Park in New York,” he said. “Obviously, we see a lot of growth and development happening in town and my goal… is to secure that memory and the green space for the public…as we will see people move out of the area.”
There will be walking access from the Government Administration Building for civil servants and other workers in town, offering green space in the middle of George Town, with sporting facilities as well as the youth and senior centres.
Explaining that the vision for the park came from the local community, Bryan said it had taken time to acquire the land to secure the future of the existing neighbourhood park and expand it into this multi-million dollar project.
Bryan said the CIG wanted to expand the green space at the park and could acquire land when it becomes available around the site. He urged people living in the area who are thinking of moving out of George Town as the capital develops to approach the government before they sell.
He said he didn’t want people to move out of Central GT, but if it had to happen, he hoped people would consider selling to the government so it could expand the green space to counter the ongoing development of the capital.
The groundbreaking will take place at the site from 5:00pm on Thursday, 12 September, and will be open to the public.
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Category: Community, development, Local News
Tell me you’ve never been to Central Park without telling me you’ve never been to Central Park.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!11111
Thanks for the rendering. Now I know to stay away from there so I don’t die of heat stroke.
Why palm trees? Whats needed is many, many more trees that provide shade. Idk if anyone noticed but that sun outside is a killer. It’s going to keep people away if it’s just another burning hot, paved POS
Dead right. Miami has been replacing a lot of palm trees with shade trees. Cayman needs do the same.
People need shade trees!!
Why is it called Scranton?
It’s called Scranton, as the Office is located there
“Secure that green space for the public”… I mean, Kenny, we could just stop developing parking lot after parking lot. Since you incentivize development through waivers, why not waiver them into keeping some grass and trees instead of having to have pavement and parking all over the place.
Also, the obsession with palm trees is dumbfounding. Every rendition, every project, littered with palm trees. We have a variety of trees and time and time again, I see every construction project pull up every tree except the palm tree.
I’m done. I can’t wait to watch our country reap what it sowed, which is nothing.
When enough of us get tired enough and start pulling political leaders into the streets, I’ll begin to care enough about my home again, because I’m done.
only thing that will be close to central park is the botanic p6ark once all the island gets developed thanks to the new highway through high flautin local land owners, and at least the botanic park is decent sept for the iguanas all over the place
I really hope this thing is just shade trees throughout with several park benches. What else is really needed?
Concerned voters (and that should be everyone) might file an injunction to get this regime to stop green lighting large extra-budget infrastructure spending until they can produce passing grade financial reports on the state of the entire Civil Service, and fess up to true liabilities on our Balance Sheet. Both of these will blow back hard on Cayman.
Why’s it called Scranton?
Where is Scranton, is it the same as Central? I thought there was someplace on shedden Road called Central. Perhaps that is what the Minister is getting confused with.
It’s been called that for close to 60 years if not more. It’s a specific “nickname” to identify the area, similar to Spotts Newlands and Savannah identify areas of Bodden Town, or Dog City and Prospect identifies other areas in George Town, or Frenchman’s Fort and Cotton Tree Bay identifies areas in West End Cayman Brac, so on and so forth. Not actual Districts but identified areas of the district.
Caymanians would benefit a lot more from those millions going towards subsidizing land for young Caymanians to be able to become home owners, specialize tutoring for academically challenged kids, subsidizing healthcare for the elderly….but stamping your name on a multi-million dollar project the plebs can see is a proven vote getter so let’s continue with that tradition I guess.
Minister akin to Kanye
Kanye did have some flashes of talent.
Or Escobar.
We should charge to use public restrooms like in Europe. Have them cleaned regularly. That will pay for the upkeep. As for the parks, here is what it should look like. https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/607161-st-jamess-park
Genuine question, can anyone explain to my uninformed self why there’s so much outrage at a public park project? Preferably objectively, and without emotional outrage seen in 95% of other comments on this thread.
because for 95% of people who post online moaning gives their life meaning.
because 95% of us know this project like the ones before it will be filled with corruption, under the table money exchanges, exorbitant cost over runs all for it to be for the sole use of drug dealers and users.
And this vote getting waste of money won’t be maintained and will become a trash heap for the druggie trash who will hang out there….after collecting their NAU handouts.
This is a trick by Kenny to ask people to sell their land to Govt so that Govt can then turn around and trade it to the Blooming Family so they can build more offices. And all financed by their national bank where they get cheap loans while the national bank charges market rates to struggling families.
Ask the home depot guy, he know what time it is. He uses the national bank too
Because a lot of people have ideas of what the public money could be better spent on. Different ideas, with different reasons. Its not a single reason why this is a bad idea. It may not even be a bad idea. Just people saying its not the best way to use a million+ dollars.
Because often a great outlay of public purse money results in very little measurable gain. Yes, we need parks.
Another reason: Very rarely do capital projects include in their budgetary line items that fuzzy little thing called “maintenance”. Nope. That can is kicked down the road for the next administration. EVERY project should have ongoing budget for maintenance, but that’s not really our strong suit, is it?
So, we all hope this is a project that bears beautiful fruit. We hope it becomes a place where people gather and feel peace, and eat their lunch, and talk about world issues under the gentle breeze, shaded under billowing branches of trees. History suggests otherwise. I truly hope to be wrong.
Maybe there are more astute folks recognising the missing steps skipped in this already KYD$1.2mln ego-driven boondoggle, ie. the use case, procurement, and consultation processes, stated ambition to drive residents out, and preference to have them yield their city land to Cabinet discretion. Consecutive pro-development Cabinets continue to openly lie to the FCO on the state of FFR compliance and omit $2.1 billion in liabilities from the Balance Sheet, while simultaneously green lighting hundreds of millions in new debt spending, betting they won’t get caught out, or held to account. Who says there isn’t high stakes betting in the Cayman Islands?
1.2million “with fat now too come”. Far more??? For what?!
“far more to come”
sadly, “fat” more to come also applies
I feel a good reason for the outrage is because scranton doesn’t need a goddamn park. Take a drive down there if you aren’t familiar with the area and also down into Windsor Park & dog city. All the places mentioned are in desperate need of housing upgrades and that 1.2 million so far would have done miracles.
Give Robson the contract and it might be done in our lifetimes at 4 times the estimated cost.
Is/Was there some famous Caymanian with the last name of Scranton? Why was the park so named?
Because that is the local name of that area of George Town, “Central Scranton”.
Take down and bury the power lines. That would remove a big eyesore
Ah yes, more places to go in town and no parking. Great move. Instead of this, why not finish the parks that have already been started? We need more trees, not less.
Isn’t Scranton where the tv show The Office is set…..everything begins to make sense now
Kenny is Michael Scott
Lord help us all
Will there be any shade in this park? Hopefully it’s not the same as the downtown redevelopment. Will there be any parking?
Ride under the donkeys beside the crack house.
Maybe before spending public money on a park he should clean up that whole area from Mary Street to Eastern Avenue and down Eastern Avenue – it looks like a gangsta’s paradise – eat your lunch & buy your drugs/guns before you go back to GAB.
A few crappy Royal palm trees that provide no shade cannot begin to resemble the landscaping of Central Park. I’m no fan of King Dart, but look at what our parks department did to the dart park when they got it. Look at the hot mess next to Foster’s Airport. Heck, look at any of our parks! What does that department do exactly?
Cardinal Avenue was pretty before Kenny and crew got their hands on it.
Hero’s square is another eyesore of non- shaded areas.
This artist render doesn’t spark confidence in a properly designed park or the the funds spent will actually be worthwhile.
I’d be more impressed if they spent money to add shade trees around town and on the monstrosity of highways to cool the island down a bit. Not interested at n more hot concrete and useless royal palm trees.
Also not interested in this government of imbeciles.
This park won’t make up for the lack of concern shown for our mangroves.
Scranton as centra park… backfoot!
Does Kenny realise that if Central Park in NYC has the same density of trees and shrubs this park is slated to have it would be called Central Desert. I also see quite an expanse of grass which happens to be the one of the most water hungry forms of landscaping around. All in all it’s not really “green” and most likely has only a smattering of indigenous flora. On a side note how’s your bronze statue coming along Kenny? And where in the park is it to be planted?
This site would have been better utilized as a Government owned multi story car park.
Crying Kenny is a delusional narcissist, the sooner he’s gone the better.
Tear down the ‘Glass House’ already. That would be a start for a building abandoned 15 years ago.
Where would all of the reports go?!
We could just leave a hole there. Maybe plant some weeping willows leaning over the hole with benches under them so we could sit and look at the reports. (Not read them, lets not get too imaginative.)
Buying voters votes? Is their an election coming?
Hope the AG looks into the finances of this and who benefitted from CIG purchasing this land.
And who was the broker who got the commission for the land transaction..?
If I’m not mistaken, it’s about the same size as Central Park in New York as well. All praise King Kenny.
More open space and parks are needed.
Agreed. I am trying to beautify my land at Red Spot Beach on North Church Street. Guess what? The Land Commission is objecting.
The world has gone mad.
It’s a nice ‘idea’ … however the reality looks more like this: At best a daytime shopping and watering hole for the tourists that will walk by daily (cruise shippers) and the occasional office worker stopping by for a sit-down … once night falls it will be abandoned (like the rest of downtown). Once the first opportunistic robbers from Rock Hole take a score or two, the word will get out that it’s a no-go zone for the safety conscious person or family. Eventually a few ‘undesirables’ will take make regular visits to beg money, snatch a purse or simply linger for a nap. Too many of us have seen the movie and know how it ends! Well intended but not long lasting.
The drug dealers now have a secured place to sell their stuff! All at the expense of the tax payers! Thanks Kenny!
Plot twist. We know who the drug dealer will be!
He will be looking a job in a few months…
Too funny, given Kenny’s history ….
It’s almost like Central Park in New York,” he said.
Delusional.
Perhaps he means forcing people to sell out to the government whether they want to or not.
More wasted funds
Good Lord Almighty, we’ve gone mad in Cayman.
Central Park is one of the easiest places to get shot or witness a murder or abduction or drug deal. This F@$!*^& boy is delusional!!!
Maybe in the 80’s but this is not true any more.
Ah, yes, it will be exactly like Central Park, New York City. And the Annex field in George Town will be very easily mistaken for Wembley Stadium.
LOL
Clown
“Almost” is doing some pretty heavy lifting there.
Who’s going to look after it? Who’s going to clean up the mess?
This will become a haven for the homeless….
Another example of government wasn’t tax payers money.
Finally the homeless may have a home.
Who is going to “protect” the wishing well cash flow?
What was the budget for this project? How does Kenny get to spend 1.2million “with more to come”?
Are we now at the stage where we need daily drug testing for public officials?
He didn’t take his meds again!
Nah hes just having a an off day similarly to the one when the Barbados flights were good for Cayman. I don’t know who’s dumb or dumber, Kenny or the tax payers?
Never doubt. It is us.
We, the voters/taxpayers are the dumbers.