A company will soon be chosen to demolish and remove the derelict building, basketball court and shed at the site of a new four-acre public park in the middle of George Town.
The deadline for bids to carry out the work was Thursday, 6 July, according to the government’s online public purchasing portal, and demolition is expected to begin this month.
Plans for the new Central Scranton Park include two man-made ponds, a basketball court, a seniors’ centre, exercise equipment, landscaping, and a wishing well.
The request for quotations document explained it will be a public open space which will provide access to recreational opportunities for the people of the Cayman Islands.
It will also be “a green space that protects and conserves the biodiversity of the capital of George Town as its urban development expands,” the document added.
The new park is to be built on the site of an old community park and adjacent Crown land off Myles Lane, and it is expected to be completed within the next two years.
Currently, the land, which is occasionally used for community events, is covered in rubbish and features a dilapidated basketball court, weed-filled pond and boarded-up building.
The company that wins the demolition bid will be expected to disconnect services at the building, remove its roof, walls, windows, doors, internal fittings, slabs and foundations.
It will have to decommission the septic tanks and cisterns and safely dispose of all the debris.
The winning bidder will also be required to destroy the basketball court and adjacent shed and remove all debris from the site to allow for future construction.
‘A family atmosphere’
In April, Minister of Tourism and Ports Kenneth Bryan, representative for George Town Central, displayed a video concept of the multi-purpose park for the first time at his district meeting.
Bryan expressed excitement about building a place “where youth and seniors can go and come together in a family atmosphere”.
During the video presentation, the minister described a large seniors’ centre fitted with solar panels and featuring a space for hosting bingo nights.
He also mentioned a roundabout near the main entrance for cars to pull in and drop off elderly people.
An old wishing well will be preserved and incorporated into the design as a focal point, paying tribute to the history of Central Scranton. Bryan also expressed a desire to include a massive anchor in one of the ponds to honor the seafaring heritage of the country.
The ministry is collaborating with the Department of Environment to plant green lilies in the ponds, focusing on the environment and adding greenery.
“This location will be a place for kids to go after school, seniors can go and exercise… where you can go and relax and sit and talk together, a place that we can come together as Caymanians.
“And that’s the commitment that I’ve promised George Town Central, that this park will be done before the end of this administration.”
The Compass has reached out to the Ministry of Tourism and Ports for details on the cost of the project and is awaiting a response.
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I am sure the mosquitoes will enjoy these new facilities with over half the land underwater, but perhaps they can start with the wishing well, so all our seniors can make a wish that the project will be finished in 5 years, so they can live to enjoy it.