The 'Hip Strip', Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay.
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
A near two-decade old quarrel between Montego Bay and central government over seafront property on Gloucester Avenue resurfaced this week after signals from Kingston raised new concerns that the property was back on the drawing board for commercial development.
It is now a greenfield site but historically, a medical facility existed on the property that has come to be known in the resort city as the 'Old Hospital' site.
The MoBay business community wants it transformed into a recreational park mainly for visitors on the 'Hip Strip' - a promotional name for Gloucester Avenue adopted in the 1990s - but is being blocked by a Cabinet minister, who says a park for the city should be more centralised and equally accessible by residents and tourists.
Kingston originally had the property, which is owned by the state-run Urban Development Corporation (UDC), on its books for development as a hotel, but eventually gave in to city leaders that it should be kept as public space.
The new stand-off is between the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) and the Minister of Water, Housing and Land, Dr Horace Chang, who believes the park should be sited elsewhere.
Chang, who is the member of parliament for North West St James, a constituency encompassing much of the city of Montego Bay, has instructed the UDC to place a stop order on the MBCCI project.
The order comes after an MBCCI lobby that ended successfully with approval of $27 million financing from the Government's Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to build the park on five acres of the seafront property.
The project should have been completed prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup staged in March 2007, but has faced several delays, much to the chamber's annoyance.
"We have constantly been given lame excuses as to why the project could not get off the ground," said MBCCI president, Pauline Reid.
"We have written to the UDC stating our disappointment with the delay of the project, but to date, we still have not heard from them."
Reid said the MBCCI's park is designed as a first-class, recreational facility boasting a walking track, information kiosks, restrooms, a children's corner and a security post.
Chang, however, has tagged the project a 'pocket park'. "I am not in agreement to spend that money. They want something for the Hip Strip and I want something that will benefit the entire Montego Bay," he said.
His proposal is for the park to be built at 'Dump Up Beach' which adjoins the Aquasol Theme Park - formerly Walter Fletcher Beach - where there are 25 acres of undeveloped land.
Chang estimates it will cost $300 million to site the park at Dump Up Beach, more than 10 times the funds earmarked by MBCCI for its project.
Funds for development
"But there is money available at the TEF," the minister said. "They have over $2 billion for tourism development."
The chamber, however, has labelled his plan "far-fetched and irrational". "That is something which may not even happen," said Reid.
The MBCCI fears that the Government has reverted to its old plan for the Old Hospital site and intends to sell the property - the only green or untouched space on the strip - to a hotel investor.
"It is ludicrous to even think that we should consider siting a hotel in this area. The supporting infrastructure is certainly not adequate to facilitate this type of development on the Strip," said Reid.
"There is a dire need to streamline what happens on the Hip Strip now, instead of adding further to the congestion."
Chang, however, has denied that a hotel is being contemplated for the site, saying that his recommendation is for the entire waterfront to be upgraded and preserved in the interest of the people of Montego Bay.
janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com
