Old police HQ becoming market not ruled out — Premier
This is all thats left of the sign at the front of the old police headquarters at Sir Olva Georges Plaza in Road Town after Hurricane Irma.
Premier Dr D Orlando Smith has said he is not ruling out the possibility of transforming the old Police Headquarters on Waterfront Drive into a market.
Member of the Farmers and Fishermen Network, Aragon Dick-Read said recently that the facility would be a perfect market venue because the current market in Road Town doubles as a parking lot and that location is generally not ideal.
While answering questions at a press conference last week, Premier Smith told journalists that handing over the old law enforcement facility to the local farming community is something government is willing to consider.
“As a government we’ll have to take a look and decide what is the best use of the buildings and the space at the Sir Olva Georges Plaza,” said Dr Smith while noting the value of agriculture in the British Virgin Islands.
“We understand and we acknowledge that agriculture and fishing is a very important sector of the economy that we must pay more attention to in the future and we will be doing so.”
“Whether the result is having a marketplace at the Sir Olva Georges Plaza is something that we have to decide,” he added.
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This may well be a good use Premier but I would urge you and your PS to get your finger out and restore the ferry terminal facility at West End asap. Its over 6 months since it was destroyed and workers are ill protected from the elements underneath a small tent…its a total disgrace to be honest. You should have facilitated at least a good quality temporary structure in the interim and your PS hasn’t even been able to do that! time when it will be done? don’t know…Cost? don’t know….who will pay? don’t know! shameful – get a PS in that will perform and get things done promptly please…..
This falls under Mark Vanterpool and if you’re talking about PS then you may as well hold your breath!! They continue to pat themselves on the back about minor things and have convinced themselves that they’re doing a hell of a job and we are just bunch of ungrateful complainers. No way those people should be in those conditions down there. At minimum they could’ve given them one of those army tents that they are using for schools with the skirts around the edges so they wouldn’t be getting wet when it rains.
It is time the departments bind together so they can get results. It is more than shameful for this government have people working in this condition and better can be done until they rebuild the Port. CUSTOMS and IMMIGRATION please consider you all health I know if I was in that situation I was not working under that I will go but I will stand my ground until they put me out the sun and rain. The PREMIER and MINISTER should not have human working in such conditions this government is inhumane and the GOVERNOR should have done look into this matter. Before the hurricanes we were plague with molds now after hurricanes we are with extra stress from our government no doubt people here are dying like flies. To the government of this place the residents deserves better.
I don’t have a particular problem with this idea (except for the parking, which I do see as an issue).
But what worries me is the lack of planning: Aragorn Dick Read suggested this on the news, so we will just go with that.
For prime real estate in the middle of town I would like to think that the Government has considered various options and then decides to go with whatever is the best one. Not just reacting to whatever suggestions they read in the news.
Made the police station by the botanic station the farmers market and the police headquarters remain… just fix it up of course. better than before. Town don’t need two stations…. and maybe they could have a room for court too!
The Police Station is what is it is…
The Police Headquarters is where the COP sits along with the Administration for RVIP.
Ok… In other countries etc everyone is in one bldg…
The plaza should be used as a farmers market as a a temporary measure, but not ideal in the long run as it is too much in the centre of town and close to the shopping centres. Remember the smells. An alternative would be over by the Pussers parking lot where a portion of it should be used. The old police building should be turned into a 3-storey complex of restaurants, shops, and office buildings on the third floor. The plaza should be a resting and relaxing place for visitors and residents alike to take in the surroundings.
The BVI made a bold step in building the Pier Park. One of the reasons I believe to have the all the services in an area where projected increase in visitors. That was about 2-3 years ago. If we are looking towards the future with more traffic at that area more facilities is expected. So why the Gov don’t use the opportunity to expand that facility at the ferry dock? Having the PPHQ converted into a market sounds great but projecting an increase in visitors there is expected an increase in traffic also and a market with what has happened in that area previous is inviting more problems. Fix the market and operate from there.or use that area where BVIHSA building was i.e. between QE Park and the hospital parking lot. That Ferry dock,PPHQ and court area is historically chaotic area this proposed market will make it worse.
I love the idea of the farmers market being in the general area but in my opinion, it would be more suited close the waters edge, above the old ice cream booth, just below craft alive using the reclaimed land in that area. The parking lots will not be affected.
To have a market in the Plaza can become very untidy over a long period without proper management and supervision. (Think about it. The smell, cluttered empty cardboard boxes, for some, presentation of the product, and the list goes on.)
With regards to the old Police Station building. It should become a sub-station and additionally, all other relevant offices vital to the tourist industry starting with the tourist board should be housed under one roof. Great central location.
Now these are only my thoughts.
Use the high school site for a government offices quadrangle housing all of government, no fancy atriums, simple modern office buildings
Build the new high school on the college campus
Demolish the admin building use for tourism and the farmers market
Take anything commercial to Baughers Bay and anything tourist to the pier.
Not a good idea at all. Persons will abuse the space and the vendors will spill out all in the street selling perfume, hats and used clothing. Similar to how the roundabout was before it was shut down.
It is not a good idea to have the market in plaza. It will become very untidy and a place for vagrants to sleep and congregate. I like the suggestion of using part of the parking lot next to craft alive. I believe that area would be more functional and controlled.
While we are looking at the Plaza area, please Please refurbish the old post office. It is a historic building and need to be refurbished and used as THE POST OFFICE. It is a historic land mark. When we travel all over the world we see historic building in very good condition. Unfortunately BVI we don’t maintain and take care of what we have. We tend to let things ‘go to the dogs’. We need a functional preservation and maintenance department to ensure that our history(buildings, historical sites, streets,trees etc are properly marked and up-kept. This would be a sure plus for tourism. Perhaps the department of Culture portfolio can be expanded to include this vital venture.
Great to have the Farmers Market… but not there please… I was stuck in traffic trying to get past there…who was blocking traffic ? The Premier and his wife, facing the wrong way with their car loading it up !!
What about that area across from Flow? Does it not exist for this very purpose?