A Face Lift for Castries

Contact: Janelle Charles

October 20, 1999 - The private sector was Wednesday presented with a proposed urban design strategy for the physical enhancement of the city of Castries, in the hope of securing the financial support of that sector.

The urban design crafted by planner from Newel Lewis Broadbridge Associates West Indies Limited, Interisland Architects and planners, Paul Hippolyte and Associates and PKF consulting envisages a city center greatly enhanced to accommodate cruise tourism

The proposed transformation would evolve in 5 phases with the year 2020 identified as the completion year.  At the end of the period it is being proposed that the Cargo Port in Castries would have been re-located to Cul-Du-Sac, the Fire Station would have been converted into a downtown hotel complex, the Vendors arcade would have been partially converted to a ferry port, Northern and Southern bus terminals would have been constructed, and a number of streets would become more walker friendly.

Also be constructed are a Hall of Justice, a new Police Headquarters, a National Performing Arts facility and a promenade.  In order for this to occur, however, a number of buildings are to be demolished and a number of streets redeveloped.

According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning Dr. Bernard La Corbiniere, "the strategy seeks to substantially improve the aesthetic and physical conditions of the city’s urban fabric as a means of stimulating social and economic growth. It is expected that this will be achieved by re-generation and upgrading programmes providing a blend of traditional and contemporary designs targeted at giving character to the urban morphology of the city".

Much discussion is expected on the urban design strategy for the City of Castries before it is brought to Cabinet for consideration.

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