The Editor Speaks: Cayman’s capital needs revitalizing but is money the real answer?
The Cayman islands government have just announce a $20M investment into revitalizing our capital, George Town.
It certainly needs something as it is dubbed Ghost Town. When I drove through last Friday, and it was the middle of the day, it was not the country’s capital that I once knew. Yes, there were people on the streets but not crowds. Shops were almost empty as there were no cruise ships in the harbour. I saw no one diving and there was not one diving vessel moored with the divers in the sea flag up.
The busiest area was out in front of CIBC/First Caribbean Bank going down from there to Scotiabank and Royal Bank of Canada. Banks would seem to be the attraction.
So we are back to money.
It is at night when the capital really goes to sleep. It is dead. Even the Dixie Cemetery has more life.
This is in stark contrast to Camana Bay. Go there at night and the place is alive. Shops are busy and the many restaurants are packed. Plus you have music and the cinema.
I am not sure the once touted ice rink for the capital would be enough to bring people back at night. What ever happened to that? Not even a whimper about that project.
The Cayman Islands government says they are committed to constructing a public park, redevelopment of roads, changing laws and regulations, promoting and facilitating mixed-used development, restricting and change traffic flows, and giving the whole place a makeover.
That is going to cost a lot of money but I seriously doubt that alone will make a difference.
It needs a theme, a character, a soul. And George Town has none of these. It must obtain something Camana Bay hasn’t got and cannot compete with.
A three hour meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday 20 October from 5:30pm – 8:30pm at the George Town Hall. This will include presentations, displays and conceptual maps and drawings.
See iNews Cayman story published October 11 2015 “George Town revitalisation plan meeting for Cayman Islands” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/george-town-revitalisation-plan-meeting-for-cayman-islands/
