BY THE END of next month, two projects designed to help with the revitalization of Bridgetown should be completed.
The Church Village Redevelopment Project and the Constitution River Drainage Improvement Project are both 95 per cent completed, and contractors should be off the site by the end of this month.
This is the word from Stuart Layne, chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc., which has responsibility for these developments, which have already captured the fancy of people.
The multimillion-dollar project at Church Village, which started last April 24 includes an amphitheatre to accommodate 199 sitting and more than 1 000 standing, and a green space. Other features within the green space will be a pond and a causeway, which will have a bridge to connect Queen’s Park, Church Village, the Masonic Lodge and the Central Bank’s courtyard.
The Park is to be powered fully by solar energy and monitored 24 hours a day by closed-circuit television from the Central Bank and also the Royal Barbados Police Force.
The project at Church Village has transformed what was once a dilapidated area, making it aesthetically appealing.
The area has already seen the restoration of the historic building which was the first Harrison College and subsequently served as the home of the Masonic lodge for many years. The work being undertaken by the Cathedral of St Michael and All Angels is expected to complement the physical upgrade of the area.
The river project, which is to help control flooding in Bridgetown, will also have other environmental benefits, but also faces a hurdle
given the high level of plastic waste ending up there as a result of indiscriminate dumping upstream. On the project’s completion, there will be improvement in the channel capacity, reduction in flooding, enhancement of water quality and the general City environment.
The drainage improvement began in July 2012 and extensive boulder armouring has been undertaken since then along with the deepening of the channel to allow for greater flow through the river into the Careenage.
A significant aspects of the project is the integration of a natural habitat and wetlands for local and migratory birds.
Dr Karl Watson, president of the Barbados National Trust, noted that the Careenage was an area that attracted a variety of species, including very rare birds, that feed and ferret there.
“This is a tremendous plus for Barbados; it is something tangible for the environment. We’ll get positive publicity,” he said.
Watson applauded the projects, adding that “[those involved] have been good stewards” by their actions.
The projects have been financed by the Government and the Caribbean Development Bank.
It is expected that a number of business opportunities will develop out of both redevelopment projects.
