The stretch of West Bay Road near Public Beach and the Dart Group’s new hotel was officially discontinued as a public road by the Cayman Islands government Wednesday. During the same Cabinet meeting, ministers declared the first section of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway Extension as a new public road.
The timing of the actual physical closing and opening of the roads is not yet known. Dart Realty public relations consultant Connie Buchanan sent the following statement from the company Wednesday: “This important milestone has been made in accordance with the Roads Law, as agreed in the terms of the National Roads Authority Agreement.
“The publishing of the gazettes means the road changes are now in legal effect and Dart Realty is now seeking advice from the National Roads Authority to determine the physical works schedule.”
The road closure and highway extension are part of the broader ForCayman Investment Alliance agreement between Dart and government. The 4,290-foot section of West Bay Road is being closed to allow Dart to open a new hotel on the property of the former Courtyard Marriott, which has been vacant since Hurricane Paloma in 2008.
As part of the exchange, Dart is also creating a new public beach park area and is turning the section of closed road into a network of trails for cyclists and pedestrians. Other portions of the agreement still being negotiated call for Dart to close the George Town landfill, create a new solid waste management facility in the district of Bodden Town and to exchange various parcels of land with government.
Recently, ministers said they are also discussing Dart widening the old Harquail Bypass, a dangerous two-lane section of Esterley Tibbetts between Lawrence Boulevard and the Butterfield roundabout.
The West Bay Road closure and new landfill in Bodden Town have sparked the most controversy in the community.
Four Caymanians have filed a writ of summons asking the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands to stop the West Bay Road handover and prevent any future transfer of the road until the court approves. The suit was issued 25 February and is still active. The defendants are the governor, attorney general, Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and the National Roads Authority – but do not include Dart or its companies. The plaintiffs argue that the December 2011 National Roads Agreement – dealing with the road closure and highway extension – and the way the agreement is being implemented is unlawful.
According to Wednesday’s extraordinary issue of the Cayman Islands Gazette, the road closure is being declared according to Section 14 of the Roads Law, which allows Cabinet to close a public road upon the recommendation of the Roads Authority. (The plaintiffs, meanwhile, argue the road should be closed according to a different law that stipulates greater public notice.)
In August 2012, the Roads Authority Board of Directors formally approved a motion to recommend closing the section of West Bay Road and gazetting the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension.
According to the gazette, the sections of the West Bay Road corridor between Raleigh Quay and the realigned Governor’s Way will be added to neighbouring property parcels, for no monetary consideration. The new public road consists of the Dart-built highway extension from Yacht Drive to Raleigh Quay, and also includes the realigned Governor’s Way.
The maps of the road closure and road opening are available on the Lands and Survey Department website, and can also be inspected at the Roads Authority office on North Sound Road in George Town.
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Finally! Lets just get it done. Please also hurry and cap off the dump and build the new proper waste facility in BT. Enough of selfish people trying to stop progress. At least we know how Dart does his projects and it will likely be a very beautiful new area and park on WBR that we can all be proud of. Unfortunately, given that the PPM left this country nearly bankrupt we can’t even build a nice park for ourselves or deal with the dump.
It does look like it’s going to be a really nice area for everyone to enjoy, the camp grounds are kind of cool, I wouldn’t be surprised if they get used year round for things like private cook outs and camping trips for school kids, there should be more sites like this around the island. It would have been nice to have an area for vendors to setup shop, there will surely be a lot of tourists around that area when it’s done and it would create opportunities from small businesses like Food and Souvenir Carts as well as things like bike rentals. A smart Caymanian entrepreneur with a few of those chariot like bikes could make a pretty penny taking people on tours of the trails that I am sure will eventually be extended all the way to Camana Bay. Maybe someone should ask Dart to incorporate something like that into the plan.
Please voters do not base your candidate selection on the emotion of this issue. Some people are looking to play this emotion into a seat in the LA.
We need more solutions from politicians than they oppose the road and the dump.
I see a lot of thumbs down regarding the new park in a really short time, I am really curious what it is that people do not like about it. Can anyone offer insight ?
I view Dart as a double edge sword.On one hand he has great projects it helps the economy ! On the other hand how big do you let him get before Grand Cayman gets renamed ? Dart Island, Little Dart Dart Brac does not sound right !
Just a thought !
@NJ2Cay
It’s called envy.
Thanks AJ, being that no one seems to have a valid reason for not liking it, I guess I will have to go with what you suggest.
I have been thinking about what people are saying they will lose such as access to the beach, the view of the water and that driving down West Bay Road is a part of Caymanian Heritage. I was actually looking to see how much of a view I get of the water when driving down West Bay road and it’s really not that much maybe a quick glimpse here and there for a hot second as far as access goes, I am not sure what people mean by losing access to the beach outside of being able to park their cars in the sand, some will have to explain the heritage thing to mean.. All being said I still don’t see where this new design make things worse than they were before. I would think the Calico Jacks folks would be the biggest complainers about the new design, but they obviously think it’s going to be a good thing for them because don’t seem to have an issue with it.
Okay just need some light to be shed here; can someone please explain what is being envied or who is being envied and exactly how the word envy sums up or should I say is relevant to all the thumbs down?
I for one have an opinion about this; not the facts just my thoughts I am sharing here. I believe that most Caymanian folks may feel that they are loosing a great deal of their heritage or maybe culture for that matter. Their hands are tied when it comes to something that represents a big part of their history which is now being taken away whether it is for good or bad. In fact, maybe some folks are saying if it is not broken don’t fix it or maybe they are saying we didn’t ask for it so why mess with it in the first place. I sure don’t know why all the thumbs down are in such large numbers but speaking for myself its hard to accept change and I have been praying about accepting the road closure as an irreversible change and I must admit accepting change is very very difficult especially if there is a not a clear picture at the end of the tunnel (lack of better words) this I feel may bring a lot of fear and anxiety. After all this is the Cayman that we know and there is a bit of uncertainty regarding entering the unknown so I guess that this may or may not be a small reason for some of the thumbs down.
Anyway, just my two cents worth; no pun intended regarding any of the previous comments made. Everyone is entitled to their opinion so if it’s a yes or no for some folks then so be it at the end of the day it is what is lets all try our best to remain positive.
@ threefourfive
Their hands are tied when it comes to something that represents a big part of their history which is now being taken away
Really? A short stretch of West Bay Road is a big part of Cayman history? I hope Cayman history is not that shallow
Thanks ThreeFourFive, I appreciate your opinion. Can you help me understand the Caymanian heritage and culture part that is being lost with the closure of the road and the new park..
Regarding the thumbs down and what they actually mean, I’d asked a question earlier if there was anyone that could offer any insight into why so many people do not like the new park and got quite bit of thumbs down to the question. Am I to take this as people disagreeing with me asking the question or that no one can offer any explanation ? Thanks
I wonder how long it will be before, that SOMEHOW…. !!!!!!! …. the public will not even be allowed to pass in front of this new hotel on the water / beach side. Can those rights also be ‘BOUGHT’? !!!! This is such a huge shame, history and Cayman’s heritage seems to mean nothing any more. BUT , one day, those who have so little regard for matters like these, will realise and bitterly regret their actions!!May God bless that dear little Island and those who fought so hard for itto stay as a place for all to enjoy, not just the chosen few.
Topsy47, I thought all beaches in Cayman were public property up to a certain point, with Dart owning the beachside land isn’t part of it still considered public propery and would he be able to stop people from walking past the hotel on the beach?
NJ2Cay. Yes , that is the norm, but,things are never what they seem at times. Guess time will show what is really happening there.
SouthernBoy and ThreeFourFive,
Dart has invested and still is investing heavily in Cayman. Who has more to loss than him if Cayman has a double dip recession. He has provided more jobs in Cayman only second to the CI Govt. He has sheltered many families from harsh economic realities by providing them with well paying jobs when nobody was hiring. Camana Bay alone has put untold millions into the hands of local everyday people. Check the paper, Dart is always hiring. Truth be told, we need him more than he needs us.
As an example, my Grandma has a cast iron Singer sowing machine that you peddle with your feet to stitch with the needle. It it probably older than me and you combined. That sowing machine has stitched tons on clothes and was very useful but guess what? Due to certain limitations inherent in its design, it has become outdated and obsolete. My mom has a electric Singer.
This is the same situation with the road. We and future generations need a new road. Can you remember when it took a minimum of 1 hour to get to George Town in the mornings. You had to be on the road at 7:00 to get to work for 8:30. Remember that? I sure do. Then they opened up the bypass and then you could drive practically nonstop into Town.
I get the idea of holding on to nostalgia but not at the expense of our future and especially not when you may never get the chance to see it realized again. I look forward to higher land values and shorter commute times.
Panama Jack, I salute you Sir. Well said. 90 percent of the commotion is political posturing.
Pretty soon you won’t be able to pass in front of the hotel, Topsy47? Take a deep breath and get control of your imagination!
Paul… No need for deep breaths,….YOU missed the inuendo.
Topsy47, that was hyperbole, not innuendo. YOU missed the correct spelling.
Paul…..ooops, so stupid of me,…..but I knew what I meant