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  • #1

    Horace Chang blocks park development

    (King Jawge - what do you say, built it at the hip strip, or where the locals will benefit too?)


    New quarrel over 'Old Hospital' site - Horace Chang blocks park development
    published: Sunday | February 24, 2008


    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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]business [COLOR=orange! important]community[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] 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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]St [COLOR=orange! important]James[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], 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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]security[/COLOR][/COLOR] 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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]undeveloped [COLOR=orange! important]land[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR].
    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 [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]hotel[/COLOR][/COLOR] 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
    “Life is a system of half-truths and lies, opportunistic, convenient evasion.”
    - Langston Hughes
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Montego Bay needs at least 4 more parks! The city is congested and thus has hundreds of thousands who need park facilities.
    "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

    Comment

    • #3
      coulda say the same about NY too.
      • Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by Assasin View Post
        coulda say the same about NY too.
        ..but in New York you have a parks...yes, parks always within walking distance...and by and large they are never overcrowded. ...dat seem yuh mi tuh be nuff-nuff park!

        ...btw - same ting innah Port St Lucie!
        "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

        Comment

        • #5
          depends on how far you walk
          • Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by Karl View Post
            Montego Bay needs at least 4 more parks! The city is congested and thus has hundreds of thousands who need park facilities.

            Yes them may need more Parks. But hear whey the man seh, instead of the park in the Hip Strip where it only benefit tourists, why not put the park elsewhere, so that locals can derive benefit from it too.
            “Life is a system of half-truths and lies, opportunistic, convenient evasion.”
            - Langston Hughes

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by MdmeX View Post
              Yes them may need more Parks. But hear whey the man seh, instead of the park in the Hip Strip where it only benefit tourists, why not put the park elsewhere, so that locals can derive benefit from it too.
              ...but it is not true that localtion benefits tourists only! When I was a kid living in Mobay the most loved beach was on Fort St...two steps away.
              The Hosiptal was on those grounds the Minister is talking about...and they dumped used bandages and worse in the sea. Now the hospital has been moved to Mt. Salem and the area cleaned up...it would make a beautiful park.

              I thought, as I had heard earlier, that he was objecting to park being a private area owned by private individuals who would prevent the ordinary man from having free access?

              That I would support 100%!
              "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

              Comment

              • #8
                Notice, me asking Jawge what him think
                “Life is a system of half-truths and lies, opportunistic, convenient evasion.”
                - Langston Hughes

                Comment

                • #9
                  I did.
                  Jawge is so young, it is possible that he never even knew that was once the location where the Hospital was sited?
                  "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Are you serious, stop it.

                    Then againg you siad NY and not NYC, and you would still be wrong.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      He is there representitive, Mo Bay is woefully short of parks of any size. This is the same person that put a building on the pitch of Watson-Taylor Park in Lucea, since the the park went down hill.

                      The history here is the the land was donated to the citizens of the town and not to government, he had no right to do that, I guess he wants to do the same at that park.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by TDowl View Post
                        He is there representitive, Mo Bay is woefully short of parks of any size. This is the same person that put a building on the pitch of Watson-Taylor Park in Lucea, since the the park went down hill.

                        The history here is the the land was donated to the citizens of the town and not to government, he had no right to do that, I guess he wants to do the same at that park.
                        Killing off Watson Taylor Park was and still is criminal!
                        "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by TDowl View Post
                          He is there representitive, Mo Bay is woefully short of parks of any size. This is the same person that put a building on the pitch of Watson-Taylor Park in Lucea, since the the park went down hill.

                          The history here is the the land was donated to the citizens of the town and not to government, he had no right to do that, I guess he wants to do the same at that park.
                          So you disagree with the Minister then?
                          "Jamaica's future reflects its past, having attained only one per cent annual growth over 30 years whilst neighbours have grown at five per cent." (Article)

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Karl View Post
                            Killing off Watson Taylor Park was and still is criminal!
                            What kind of building was put on the park land - is it a private dwelling?
                            “Life is a system of half-truths and lies, opportunistic, convenient evasion.”
                            - Langston Hughes

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Well to be honest that piece of land is
                              an historic site. That is where the old St.James Hospital once was. I was born there. I don't know where Horace Chang is from or why he wants to
                              sell of our history and culture for thrity pieces of silver.

                              That land is a landmark for the people of Monetgo Bay. It's the only piece of property that remains to remind us of the "olden days". What I notice is that many has moved in the town, who totally disregard it's history, culture and tradition. They are carpet baggers; hungry to make a fast buck.

                              The people must suffer; Joshua didn't try to change the town but modify and uplift it. Why is it that the locals should be isloted from the hip strip?
                              Why should the park be at "dump up"?

                              Last but not least most of the land that people now walk on; was once almost the middle of the sea. The old hospital is the only reminder. My friend just came back (Jazz fest) He said he told his son (who was born and raised here), although his son wasn't interested. That piece of land means something to us Montegonians. When you fall asleep; even the little that you have will be taken away.

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