Minister appeals for more land for George Town park

| 17/09/2024 | 70 Comments

(CNS): Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan has appealed to landowners who may be considering selling property adjacent or close to land the Cayman Islands Government has acquired in George Town Central to come to his ministry before putting their land on the market so that Scranton Park can be expanded. At the official groundbreaking for the multi-million dollar project on Thursday, Bryan said he didn’t want anyone to move from his constituency “as I need the votes”, but if they did, the CIG was interested in buying their land.

Scranton Park wishing well

“By all means, I don’t want anybody moving from my community,” the minister said as he joked about wanting to hold onto his voters. “But I do realise that life happens and families transition to different locations. So, if any landowners present here today are thinking of selling their property in this area, please sell it to government so that we can expand this park even more, and in so doing, you will be making a welcomed contribution to the continuation of this dream.”

So far, the CIG has spent over $2.1 million on land purchased from Capital One, Evert Lenward Scott, Eunice Seymour, Benjamin Seymour, Steve McField and Frank Schilling. And according to various procurement exercises, more than $800,000 has been spent on prepping the site, building the wishing well, which cost almost CI$36,000, and constructing the first buildings.

Two more tenders for work at the park closed last month. The minister said that one has gone to McAlpine, though no costs have yet been revealed, and the second has yet to be awarded.

The overall price tag for the multi-million dollar project remains elusive as it is being developed in phases and will expand as land is acquired. The operational costs of the park and its amenities will also need to be added to the government’s annual budget.

Stran Bodden, the chief officer in the tourism ministry, told CNS he was unable to give an overall final cost, but said that each year money will be budgeted for the project in that ministry. He also said the decision for the tourism ministry to handle this project rather than the infrastructure ministry, which oversees public works, was a political one made by the minister.

Bryan said the Central Scranton Community Committee members were the “pioneers behind the vision for building this park”, and once the park is open, it will be managed by Dale Ramoon, the committee chair. During the groundbreaking event, the committee and the government signed the relevant lease.

Initially, the park will be set on three acres at the heart of George Town Central constituency, where Bryan is MP, on Ms Frances Street (Tigris Street) just off Shedden Road, directly behind the Government Administration Building. Bryan has described the project as Cayman’s own Central Park. On Thursday, he said every detail and material selected for the park has been carefully and thoughtfully chosen to cater to a wide range of needs.

“We have tried hard to ensure that our park will become a favourite gathering spot, and when I look around and I think of what this space is destined to become, I am touched, because to me, this is not just a park,” Bryan told the dignitaries and guests who gathered for the official opening.

“To me, this space is a testament to your government’s commitment to enhancing your quality of life. From day one, I promised you a park that would not only serve your needs but also reflect our shared values: family, community and togetherness,” the minister added.

He said the Central Scranton Park will be important to the George Town area “because as we continue growing as a country, it is important that green spaces are included as part of that development plan to encourage physical activity and promote mental well-being”.

Although it will be classified as a green space, the park will be far from a natural space as there will be several buildings, concrete walkways and grass. Nevertheless, Bryan said that the QEII Botanic Park has been asked to help with the plants, bushes and trees around the pond area to ensure they are able to thrive in that environment.


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Category: development, Local News

Comments (70)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Can’t be a functioning wishing well, as if it was, none of the current MPs would be anywhere near running this territory ever again.

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  2. Anon says:

    A real park would be wonderful but for a park to survive it would require a covering of shade trees across 90% with a lot less concrete, less meaningless buildings and way more open space be it water or grass. This isn’t a park it’s a makeshift recreation facility for the Government Administration building.

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    • anonymous says:

      Agree. Buildings and concrete are not required in a park. Grass, shade trees, water space, seating, paths (not concrete) and indigenous planting. Simple. Stop the unnecessary building and development.

      13
  3. Anonymous says:

    what the heck, he might as well build another botanic Park in town or on his waterfront spot. Has he even takin his kids to the kids Park at the Botanicpark. seems like that would be someting beneficial for hos Georgetown vote.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    a park for a town with little to none residentail development, non existant parking and commercial enterprises closing and moving out on a daily basis….
    welcome to wonderland.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Excuse me? $36,000 for that little wishing well. That’s surely about 10 times what it should have cost. Who gives out these contracts? Is it yet another way of transferring the people’s money into the hands of a few chosen wealthy people again?

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    • Anonymous says:

      A standing seam roof on a wishing well. It’s a pretend well and a real money pit.

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    • Anonymous says:

      “Who gives out these contracts?” The Ministers who you and your neighbors elected to make decisions of your money. Do you like the circus clowns you elected???

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    • Anonymous says:

      #WorldClass CI Civil Service – KYD36k for a a glorified hole in the ground….

      Can CIG name (and shame) both the contractor and thsoe civil servents who “awarded” this contract?

      These are the same individuals who want to be entrusted with building a cruise ship port?

      Can you imagine the final cost for that?

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  6. WBW Czar. says:

    A dedicated tram from Kenny Beach to Kenny Central Park would serve to revitalize the cruise tourist product.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Oh, you know this will become a no-go zone after dark, and you wouldn’t want kids there in the day because of the inevitable needles, garbage, beer cans etc which are sure to stack up!

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  8. Anon says:

    A map covering the park, intended layout and surrounding area would be helpful please.

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    • Anonymous says:

      CCTV cameras should be installed throughout the place, needed here more than any other location.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I’ looking forward to the Sunday Crack Market and hope there will also be a regular boot sale where I can buy me stuff back from the last burglary.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    His spending habits are insane.

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    • Anonymous says:

      A fool and his money are soon parted…just that it is not HIS money!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Agreed!!! …it always drives me mad when people talk about “Government” money (waste)…its not Government’s money – it is our money, the tax payers of these islands – both residents and international financial services….

  11. Anonymous says:

    What remains of the Dart or Schilling-owned pine forest south of the Kimpton/Indigo properties should be preserved as a park!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Assuming you are referring to the invasive casuarinas on the land which neither Dart nor Schilling own, you should make an offer to Pink Coral Holdings Limited (more than likely to be Fraser Wellon) and Randall Issacson and see if they are willing to sell to you so you can build a public park on it.

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  12. Weekend says:

    I like this article on this investment. Land and properties could be developed to generate new jobs, and qualify Caymanians who are budding skilled apprentices. They may benefit from projects like the CSP – whose function is to put it – to provide residents with a delightful spot to spend quality time together with friends and family while enjoying the perks of its botanic views, and more, as stated in the article.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Caymanians having problems securing land, a house, employment, reasonable medical and property insurances and you go out and build parks.

    Cayman we have 10 years if that many left before the tide changes.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    🤣🤣😂😂😂🤪🤡

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  15. Anonymous says:

    Hopefully they put some chess spots there.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Sex, Drugs and Booze park, with few “every now and then” robberies too.

    I hope I see Kenny there having lunch and enjoying the great ourtdoors.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    I’m going to bid on all of GT Central just so we can stop the madness!

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  18. Anonymous says:

    What the hell is going on here. It seems he does what he wants with the Public purse. These guys are out of control.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    get it from dart? oh..sorry…politicians are .

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  20. Anonymous says:

    When the artist’s rendition looks dismal, we know we are screwed.

    p.s. Still wanting to know why this is called “Scranton” Park, of all things they could have chosen from.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    For CI$36,000 I hope the well makes wishes come true

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    • Anonymous says:

      The perfect spot for garbage, spent needles, murder weapons, and shell casings. For the RCIPS sake, let’s hope it’s not too deep, because they’ll need to spend some time down there.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Besides Frank, these are the same Caymanians and their descendants that will be screaming on the talk show that no more new wealth building opportunities remain, and Cayman Islands is not for Caymanians.
    All forgetting that they sold their birthright land for “spoils of pottage”. In this case, a park…..

    Short term gain = Long term pain.

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  23. Anonymous says:

    cool idea… cant wait for it to become the newest spot for drug addicts and alcoholics to play dominoes and sleep.

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  24. Anonymous says:

    Like everything else, it is hiding in the dark..

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  25. Anonymous says:

    what a nice way of gentrifying an area.

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  26. Anonymous says:

    #maketheglobegreatagain

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  27. Anonymous says:

    Crack heads rejoice!

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  28. Anonymous says:

    $36k for that!

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  29. Anonymous says:

    parks in cayman need shade and covered areas more than anything else.
    exposed areas are unusable for 70% of the year during the day.

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  30. Anonymous says:

    vote buying.

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  31. Frustrated Caymanian says:

    “Commitment to enhancing your quality of life” ? Address the cost of living then. A park does not feed or house my family.

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  32. Anonymous says:

    Where is the shade?

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    • Diogenes of Cayman says:

      Noticed that as well, seems like this is going to be the usual deal for CIG public projects – For most of the year its going to be too hot for regular people to enjoy the park during the day without melting and at night it will be empty just like the rest of George Town is because there is no parking and nothing to do.
      Looks like the primary function is adding a nice view for the civil servants who have windows on the that side of the Government Admin Building.

      Will say for what is worth one of the few things DART actually does well is urban design, most of Camana Bay is walkable and relatively cool, there is usually either plant cover providing shade or actual shaded walkways and all of that is done while incorporating plenty of flora, not sure why Government refuses to acknowledge the realities of conditions on Cayman most days – the average person is not outside frolicking in the heat of the day, most people are dashing from air conditioned rooms to air conditioned cars and vice versa.

      Seeing as this is another project with a ? for a pricetag and a ? for a delivery date they might actually be able to change plans a bit to provide shaded spaces for people to actually be able to use the space prior to 5pm

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      • Anonymous says:

        Although I dislike Dart, they do well at urban design. They also use native plants, unlike what CIG does which is just cut them down.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Too much concrete plus he won’t be satisfied till he paves over, owns and urban designed the whole of Cayman.

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    • Anonymous says:

      the wishing well seems to have a bit.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Some indigenous Cayman/Caribbean fruit trees would be nice but God forbid we will not survive if we dont use Florida palm trees

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      • Anonymous says:

        They could plant a bunch of breadfruit trees to keep the local hitters from poaching people yards!

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    • Anonymous says:

      In the wishing well.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Minister just threw it at you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Swim in the nice ponds to cool off.

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    • Annonymous says:

      9.15am Same place it is in town. Mowhere.

    • Anonymous says:

      inside kenny’s chevy tahoe….

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