Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Vendors in the Banana Board area of Kingston Gardens will soon be forced to move their stalls from the roadside to facilitate the establishment of Jamaica Culture Plaza. This vendor, Samantha Bedward (seated), is optimistic that the proposed plaza for Cricket World Cup will bring great rewards.

Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

IMAGINE A single section of downtown Kingston, uniformly fitted with some 200 booths along the side of the road, all painted in the national colours. Seems exciting, doesn't it?

It gets better when you visualise the various items that will be on show in this festive environment - food, craft, clothing, even tours. All this, and more, will be the feature of Jamaica Culture Plaza, a project of the Citizens' Association in the Greater Allman Town community.

The association, which represents the communities of Woodford Park, Allman Town proper, Campbell Town and Kingston Gardens, has formed a company - The Greater Allman Town Community Development Benevolent Society - which aims to help them fully catch the benefits to be accrued from the staging of the International Cricket Committee (ICC) Cricket World Cup next year.

Gateway to CWC 2007

"Jamaica Culture Plaza is the gateway to Cricket World Cup 2007," bragged Lawman Lynch, general secretary of the society.

Agencies, such as the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Jamaica Business Development Commission (JBDC), tell The Sunday Gleaner that the proposed $70 million venture is one of the fantastic ideas to raise money from the World Cup.

Since the Culture Plaza is the gateway to Cricket World Cup, Mr. Lynch argued, "If you have rubbish there, it is rubbish that the visitors will see when they get off the bus. We are determined to showcase Jamaica by means of the Culture Plaza for the world to see as they head to and from the cricket.

"During and after Cricket World Cup 2007, residents will benefit from what is to come. Jamaica Culture Plaza will provide that atmosphere through which the entire community can benefit," Mr. Lynch said

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of Cricket 2007 has confirmed that a park and walk system will be introduced during the World Cup. Under this system, vehicles which are not authorised to enter the sterile area around Sabina Park will have to be parked at designated stops. One such parking area will be the National Heroes' Park, a stone's throw away from Allman Town and Kingston Gardens. In order to get to and from Sabina Park, persons will have to walk through the Culture Plaza. Approximately 15,000 persons are expected to use the area, making it possible for vendors in the plaza to 'catch a sale'.

Stalls to be relocated

Before the Culture Plaza is realised though, persons vending in the areas of North, West, South and East and Lockett avenues will have to move their stalls. One such person is Samantha Bedward. Her 'businessplace' is a board stall, located at the corner of West and Lockett avenues from which she sells snacks, sodas, a few beers and stouts and bottled water.

"I have been told I have to move for the World Cup," she told The Sunday Gleaner.

But, unlike other cases where people protest moving, Samantha eagerly anticipates the coming of the World Cup.

"Mi sign up for one of the tent ... the World Cup is going to bring nuff benefit and I am lining up to get some," Samantha added.

No drastic changes

And while several persons seem to be gearing up for the World Cup and to share the prospective benefits to be brought on by the Culture Plaza, the event won't bring any drastic changes to the lives of some residents in the Greater Allman Town area.

One man said he was just interested in seeing a few games. Others said they have not been informed about the plans for the communities, but Mr. Lynch shrugged off such responses saying they were not credible. He said lots of work was being done to inform community members, but only a few responded when invited to meetings or seminars.

Despite the lack of interest shown by some community members, Mr. Lynch said the general attitude to the Culture Plaza was tremendous. "The communities for the most part are anticipating Jamaica Culture Plaza. We have successfully sold them the idea to the point where they do not want it to fail," said Mr. Lynch.