And San Mateo?

$6Mil Makeover for Old Football Field & Embarcadero
Contract signed with local architectural firm



Under the Sustainable Tourism Program, over $6 million Bze of IDB funding, will be invested in a boardwalk stretching 2000 linear feet along the water–front and transforming the back lagoon area of San Pedro Town. The development will incorporate a multipurpose pier housing international and domestic water taxi terminals and small scale shopping. A destination for tourists and locals, the boardwalk will be designed to promote an atmosphere of leisure and relaxation; maintaining the identity of San Pedro Town, while revitalizing the surrounding area.

Local architectural firm International Environments Ltd. based in Belize City was awarded the contract for the feasibility, planning, and design of the Sunset Pier and Boardwalk based on the strength of their technical and price proposals. Today Principal Daniel Arguelles signed off on the $ 482,500 Bz agreement with the Ministry of Tourism and the Belize Tourism Board. IE was one of 12 firms from the local and international arena who expressed an interest in this challenging under–taking. Their experienced, professionals have stated a strong commitment to developing a driver of future economic growth for San Pedro Town, creating further commercial and tourism opportunities and encouraging local ownership of the development.

IE's team will carry out detailed marine and geotechnical investigations, social environmental studies and economic analysis, contributing to the final blueprints. A manual will also be developed to guide sustainable operations thus ensuring an efficient an successful public amenity for the future. The planning phase will span five months, setting the stage for construction to begin early next year.

Funding for the US$15million Sustainable Tourism Program is provided by the Government of Belize through an IDB loan, and from the Belize Tourism Board. For more information about the program please contact the Project Coordinating Unit at info@sustainabletourismbz.org

http://www.ambergristoday.com/html/archives.php?p=072910#_st1

Sounds wonderful! But...
I sure hope the next step is not bringing cruise ships in.

Boardwalk for San Pedro underway

On Tuesday July 27, the Ministry of Tourism, the Belize Tourism Board and International Environments Ltd. (IE)., a local architectural firm, signed off on a $482,500 dollar agreement for the designing of a 2000 foot long boardwalk in San Pedro Town.

The boardwalk will be constructed along with a multi-purpose pier to accommodate international and domestic water taxi terminals along with small scale shopping operations in the back lagoon area of San Pedro Town.

The project is part of a six million dollar Sustainable Tourism Program which is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and which will see similar tourism oriented developments taking place in other parts of the country, including Placencia, Belize City and other destinations.

The San Pedro development is expected to become a destination for tourists and locals with the boardwalk being designed to promote an atmosphere of leisure and relaxation; maintaining the identity of San Pedro Town, while revitalizing the surrounding area.

The architectural firm IE is one of 12 local and international firms who bid for the project. Under the contract, IE will conduct detailed marine and geotechnical investigations, social environmental studies and economic analysis, in order to contribute to the final blueprints for the project. A manual will also be developed to guide sustainable operations in the new developed area to ensure an efficient and successful public amenity for the future. The planning phase will span five months. Construction will commence early in 2011.

http://www.guardian.bz/component/content/article/53-headlines/2111-boardwalk-for-san-pedro-underway

Bleachers? Softball Diamond? Room and access to haul up boats for hurricanes? Hopefully they're taking these "little" things into account...

A full-sized football pitch...and provision for all the one-time street vendors.

How can we justify this when we have San Mateo. How much did we spend on the concrete pier in town? $2M if I remember right. To make this project happen they will have to dredge. That should be going to San Mateo. When the residents bought those lots from GOB they reasonably expected them to be improved.
Are they saying that people will come to San Pedro to see the boardwalk? Again no kind of consultation. We have people living in the swamp and residential roads that go underwater flooding septics and we spend $6M for a boardwalk on the lagoon which will never be as nice as walking on the beach.
I am embarrassed at the waste of funds. We cannt fix San Mateo or the other flooded areas but we can do this? Oh well just a bunch of poor people so who cares. $12,000 would fill a lot in San Mateo. $6M could do so much for us.
We have developed beyond our infrastructure. We have no paved roads in residential areas, no hurricane shelter or civic center and we have needed all these things for years but we will have a $6M boardwalk..

Out of all the things I could think of that San Pedro needs, crime control, infrastucture, etc, etc, etc, a board walk would not be at the top of my list.
But it is good to know that they are spending almost a half million dollers with a "local" architect firm to
"IE will conduct detailed marine and geotechnical investigations, social environmental studies and economic analysis, in order to contribute to the final blueprints for the project."
At least they are doing more to protect the enviornment than they would do if it were just another proposed condo or housing development. Yea right

If you don't like this you need to attack the IDB funding...then we won't get any $ at all.