George Town revamp too late for many businesses
(CNS): After years of dusty, disruptive roadworks, millions of dollars in public cash, numerous changes, delays, and the loss of several businesses, the George Town Revitalization Initiative is almost complete, according to a planning ministry release. As the end is in sight for the GTRI, which is effectively the partial repaving of three streets and the addition of some street furniture, saplings and other features, most roads in George Town’s business district are finally open.
Edward and Main Streets reopened Monday, which the release said was a “milestone”, marking the near completion of the project.
However, the costly and frustratingly long, drawn-out period, which has reportedly seen more than 55 changes to the original plans, has been too much for several small cafes and shops. Regardless of the ultimate goal of the GTRI to make the capital more pedestrian-friendly, a number of small businesses were unable to endure the years of massively reduced footfall.
It has also caused traffic chaos in the capital for the last five years. The project was delayed once again this month because of a tsunami warning. Although the warning lasted for no more than a couple of hours last weekend, it shelved the work for another week.
The release said there is still more work to do on “traffic flow improvements” after utility poles at the Shedden Road/Main Street and Edward Street/Shedden Road intersections are removed.
“The Ministry of PAHITD and GTRI appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation throughout this project,” the ministry stated in a release. “The revitalization of George Town marks a major milestone in modernising the capital, fostering a pedestrian-friendly, vibrant, and accessible town centre that supports businesses and residents alike.”
However, some believe the entire project has done nothing but add to the capital’s traffic woes, put people out of business and turned George Town into a ghost town, with major works going on over Christmas that hit shops in the area even harder than usual.
A report published Tuesday in the Cayman Compass by James Whittaker said the project was supposed to breathe life into the capital. Instead, business owners say it is choking them out, and many are seeking compensation for their loss of profit, for which they blame the mismanagement of this lengthy and disruptive project with very little benefit.
Various business owners who have clung on through the years of work and watched their business decrease by as much as 60% told Whittaker that the problem in George Town is not how it looks but the lack of parking.
According to the ministry, there are close to 15,000 concreted parking spaces in George Town, but most of them are off-limits to regular drivers and sit empty all day long. The spaces are part of inappropriate and outdated planning regulations that the government has failed to address, which require every building to have excessive amounts of parking even when the office blocks they serve have few guests.
Meanwhile, many of the retail stores and other small businesses in the centre of town barely have one parking spot each, and in recent weeks, the construction staff working on the project have even taken those spots.
Despite their complaints about the disruption, the dust, the parking issues, and their loss of business as a direct result, those who spoke to the ministry told Whittaker that they were offered no apologies and their concerns were dismissed.
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Category: development, Local News
Such a shame!
All it needs now are some bright red traffic cones everywhere and we money
!
Ask the head of PWD…if you can find him.
GT is the Judicial center of the territory. If you aren’t appearing in one of the courts, your choices are to do some banking at one of the few remaining banks centered there. Then check your mail box afterwards, by walking to the post office , as you won’t be driving near it.
What are the other reasons for going into the center of town ?
The revitalization appears to be just for future cruise tourists to have someplace to walk to, once the government railroads the territory into cruise berthing.
This entire project in George Town is ultimately for cruise berthing, as it certainly isn’t for. The resident population that actually lives in Grand Cayman.
The”Judicial Centre” is now the location for the lowest form of Jamaican inspired jump up.
A disgusting display of Caymanian values replaced by Jamaicans turning the streets of our capital into the cess pit they created in their own country , and are now doing the same to Cayman.
Shame on you Mac, Saunders and Kenneth..
You said It!!!!!
I agree with it!!!!
Too many afraid to speak the truth!!!
Any “project management” on this project? Does project management even exist within CIG?
There was a Planning Manager for the George Town DeVitalisation Project appointed a few years ago, not a word from him on the criticism poured on this project. Is he still looking for half a dozen new parking spots?.
You have to remember, in the civil service/PWD , nobody is held accountable, nobody is admonished, nobody cares about cost and budget, and nobody in government will do anything about it.
It’s not their money, it’s not their problem , now where shall we go for lunch.
RIP Bread and Chocolate
Eff bread and chocolate, RIP Corita’s.
Facts!
I’ve got an idea – let’s build a cruise port we can’t afford and can’t physically accommodate and destroy the remaining local business and mess up traffic for a decade!
You shpuld be the tourism minister !
Nah. Mayor of George Town.