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The Origins of the Downtown Rejuvenation Project

Our approach on planning for heritage preservation in historic downtowns

The experience gained by us working for a long time in Planning for Heritage Preservation in historic downtowns has shown that it is no longer possible to continue with the traditional approach based on just fulfilling the contents of heritage laws (when there are laws).

Either the value as heritage of an historical area is understood as a wealth-generating asset (opportunities) and a way of improving the quality of life, and the protection policy is understood as the result of strategic processes of urban renewal with the participation of all actors that have a role in the development of the city -residents, businesses, developers, builders, etc.-, or the Heritage Protection Plan becomes just a regulatory document, that links protection with prohibition and that, of course, fails at giving back the historic downtown the necessary vitality in order to survive and avoid complete destruction and disappearance for good.

There is no secret in this, simple enough: what is alive is preserved, and is alive what is used by the community. Urban planning tools (traditional plans), are only part of the development process, important, but partial.

For us, the success of a Heritage Preservation Plan does not lie in the fact that the technical documentation that support it, is complete or comprehensive (it should, of course), but to be possible and exciting for the community to implement it. In other words, "the community has to believe in it", to make it their plan, as the tool to empowerment over the historic town. Either the Historic Downtown is "an opportunity" for the population or it is worth almost nothing.

Therefore if we start with revitalization criteria and strategies for a Comprehensive Development, the balance between protection and development must be present from the first moment, guiding the approach to carrying out the planning work (it is not something that could be raised "afterwards").

Hence, even from the definition of the scope and the content of the survey, to the writing of regulations must be carried out with this goal in mind. Any actions other than these are useless. A true Heritage Preservation Plan IS A PLAN OF ACTION and cannot remain as a theoretical or technical information on the future of the Historic Downtown.

From the start, the Heritage Preservation Plan and the town as a whole (all the stakeholders that represent it and not just the City Hall) should be able to answer the following question: what role do you want the Historic Downtown to play in the future of the town?, or for that matter, what do you want the Historic Center for� and� for whom are we planning?

But a Plan with this approach is very demanding on time and human resources -and hence, on money--. That's why I am proposing my methodology for Belize City as a FIRST STEP towards a more comprehensive way of planning: I am putting forward the proposal to start by an INVENTORY so that the main buildings are listed and a regulation is written, so that a real plan can be made in the future.

SOURCE: PADECO's consultant on Heritage: Rafael Fontes

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The fifteen million-dollar Downtown Rejuvenation Project in Belize City is moving full steam ahead since it was launched in 2015.� The project, which intends to revitalize and open up cultural, has completed some of its goals including upgrades at the Yabra field where a covered structure was installed and fixtures put in place to enhance the public space.� The project has also completed repairs at the Anglican Cathedral and made ceiling and roof improvements on the Supreme Court building.� When we caught up with the Project's Liaison Officer Albert Avila he told us about what you can expect in the downtown area.

Albert Avila, Community Liaison Officer, Downtown Rejuvenation Project

"We are building a restaurant at the corner of Cockburn Lane and Regent Street. We are currently driving piles there and we are also driving piles at a new building which will replace Women's Department on Albert Street. And then soon after that, we are going to start with Paslow. We are in the process of designing a new building for Paslow and finalizing the new House of Culture which we will build at the Government House. And then we will do the second part of Yabra which will be rebuilding that football field area."

Channel 5

Here is the Facebook page for The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project

House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project 80% Completed

The�House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project is being financed by the Government of Belize and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund. �Project Director John Arana says that major investments are being made in nine locations in downtown Belize City. �The project is eighty percent completed and should be finalized by the end of this year. �The rehabilitation of the Swing Bridge, however, was not part of the project as Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner pointed out a few weeks ago. Arana says that if the council has identified the Swing Bridge as a priority, plans should be prepared, including the Bill of Quantities, and those documents should be submitted for funding. He says that it would be a challenge to deviate from the project at the current execution stage.�

John Arana, Director, Downtown Rejuvenation Project

"We had to prioritize certain locations; the Swing Bridge is not on that list. The Swing Bridge does need major works but usually when you see a project being executed it is planning which goes on for five years or so. If it is the desire of the council for works to occur at the Swing Bridge they have to prepare the same packages, they have to prepare the same studies and submit the proposal for financing and that takes some time."

Channel 5

The restored blue room at Government House. That is what I used to call it because it was blue from 1998 to 2019. The new colour is a light gray, so I guess it will become the gray room now. This room had many functions over its history. It was once used as the master bedroom. It is said that Princess Margaret slept in the left far corner of this room. This room also hosted many balls as it was also the ballroom at one point. I am thinking one function it should continue to do is to be a place to hold state dinners/functions when we have invited dignitaries. The history and ambience would make it a perfect location for such events. As it is right now, the entire house is in imaculate condition.

THE RENOVATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE PROPERTY

This month the Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project completed the rehabilitation of the Government House Property.

The rehabilitation included the renovation of the Government House, the construction of the new House of Culture, the reconstruction of the Carriage House, installation of a new parking area, raising of the property between 6" to 18" in certain areas to fight climate change, improve the coastline to prevent further erosion, installation of new concrete pedestrian walkways throughout the property, rehabilitation of the stage, rehabilitation of the seven cannons / flag pole, rehabilitation of the perimeter fence and installation of identification location markers relating to flora, fauna, and historic information.

We are preparing to conduct a grand opening of the property and other properties ( Ronald Frederick Greenwood House / Musuem and Human Development Building) in the downtown area during the month of April.

To commemorate this momentous achievement please view the uploaded presentation which will show before and after photos of various areas of the property.

TEAM DOWNTOWN REJUVENATION PROJECT

For over a little more than four years, The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project (otherwise simply known as the Downtown Rejuvenation Project) has been busy working on various components of the Project. In the past, we have shared our progress concerning individual components we have been working on as they progressed over the last four years on our Facebook pages.

Here is a comprehensive list of the components we have completed and are in progress as of today:

1)addition of a metal structure to cover the Basketball Court at Yarborough;

2&3)restoration works at St. John's Cathedral and the Supreme Court;

4)raze and rebuilding of the Greenwood House at corner of Regents and Cockburn Lane;

5)raze and rebuilding of the Human Development Building at #26 Albert Street;

6)renaming of the site once known as Paslow and the commencement of a new building the will be known as the Belize Heritage Plaza;

7) restoration and construction at the Government House Property;

8) restoration and upliftment of the Yarborough Football Field;

9) demarcation and interpretation of selected historic sites along Albert and Regents Streets (in fabrication). This is to become a part of the Ecomuseum in Downtown Belize City;

10) improvement of the National Historic Legislation to include important historic assets less than a hundred years old; and,

11) Three years of the Belize City History and Social Studies Competition and the Mr. Peter's Krismus Brukdong Bram along with other cultural projects.

The Downtown Rejuvenation Project's Ecomuseum Update

The Downtown Rejuvenation Project like many other projects was on a break due to the COVID-19 shutdown. As the country starts to awaken from its economic sleep, so is the Downtown Rejuvenation Project. As an update, below is a quick recap of the various components' status in the Downtown Rejuvenation Project:

COMPONENTS COMPLETED AND OPERATIONAL

1) Yarborough A: which included the restoration and building of a covering for the Basketball court area.

2) St. John's Cathedral Repairs and cleaning.

3) The Supreme Court repairs to roof and historic clock.

COMPONENTS COMPLETED BUT NOT OPERATIONAL

4) Raze and rebuilding of the Human Development Building at #26 Albert Street.

5) Raze and rebuilding of the Ronald Frederic Greenwood house located at the corner of Cockburn Lane and Regents Street.

6) Government House property restoration and construction.

PROJECTS IN PROGRESS

1) The primary visitor attraction to downtown when completed in our Eco-museum will be the Government House property. However, since the Eco-museum will encompass the entire downtown, which include the Albert and Regents streets areas, there will be a need to tie these areas together. This will be accomplished by the installation of about twenty ILM's (Interpretive Location Markers) throughout downtown. Since one of the main objectives of our Eco-museum's mission was to highlight our heritage sites, the main objective of the ILM's will be to do just that. The ILM's will accomplish this by providing additional information on site of each historic site.

The Downtown Rejuvenation Project is a Taiwan ICDF and Government of Belize collaborative project geared towards increasing visitors into downtown. Although a portion of the visitors to downtown would have been foreign tourists, which will be in short supply in the short term, our downtown Eco-museum will also be targeting local tourists as well. When completed, downtown will become a historic zone where all Belizeans will be able to immerse themselves in our history and culture.

2&3 ) Two components we are working on to enhance the visitors' experience in downtown, whether they are visiting in person or viewing on the internet from some distant country (building interest), will be a downtown Tour Map App and a Downtown Eco-museum Web Site. These two components will work together to enhance the visitors' experience by providing additional information about our History and Culture that the ILM's at the site will not provide.

4) Yarborough B: completion of the restorative works on the football field, coastline protection, new pedestrian walkway around field, seating near the sea, restoration of police booth, installation of new spectator seating and new restroom facilities.

5) Completion of the new Belize Heritage Plaza located at the site which was once known as the Paslow.

6) Making #4,5,& 6 from projects in "COMPONENTS COMPLETED BUT NOT OPERATIONAL" section operational.



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For information on the amazing Government House Rehabilitation part of this project, CLICK HERE!

Reconstruction and Upgrade of Belize City House of Culture Compound
As part of the Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project executed by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, the House of Culture Compound was reconstructed and upgraded.

Downtown Project Tied With A Bow

Today, the Government House, the House of Culture, the Greenwood House, the Yarborough Green Recreational Field, and the Women and Family Department Building - all located in the Belize City Downtown area - were officially inaugurated.

These sites were all renovated under the Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project, which began 10 years ago. The project - funded by the Taiwan International Cooperation Development Fund, muddled along for many years in administrative limbo - but, eventually found its groove - and they tied the bow on it today.

Government Officials and the Taiwanese Ambassador locked out the media and called in the press office to hold a special ceremony today to mark the completion of these cultural assets. Here's what they had to say:



The project has also invested in the St. John's Anglican Cathedral, the Supreme Court, and the Belize Heritage Plaza, which is currently under construction.

Notably, the independent media was snubbed for the event and not invited to ask the many relevant questions or examine the work on any of these sites.

Channel 7

Click photos for more pictures!

Yesterday, was the final attempt to conduct a grand opening of the various completed project sites under the auspices of the Downtown Rejuvenation Project during the COVID era. It was decided last week that the opening would take place yesterday. So, with lots of hustle and bustle, yesterday the Downtown Rejuvenation Project came to an official end with lots of pomp and circumstance. Because we had to limit the number of people, most of the media were not invited so you may not have heard about it.

Albert Paul Avila

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The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project Inaugurates the newly renovated Government House and the New Belize City House of Culture

In an effort to invest in the urban regeneration of Downtown Belize City and to encourage socioeconomic integration utilizing cultural heritage, the Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project, a project funded by the Taiwan International Cooperation Development Fund (ICDF) and the Government of Belize, today inaugurated the newly renovated Government House & House of Culture. The project also handed over keys to the Greenwood House at the corner of Cockburn Lane and Regents Street, the Yarborough Green Recreational Field and the Women and Family Department Building on Albert Street. The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project (BCHOCDRP) also completed improvements to several sites in downtown Belize City, including a downtown signage project with the primary objective to preserve and manage the built Cultural Heritage and address the degeneration of Downtown Belize City through the establishment of policies to preserve Urban Heritage and promote Cultural preservation in Belize City. In addition to today's inauguration, the BCHOCDRP has also invested in: � St. John's Anglican Cathedral � Supreme Court of Belize � The Belize Heritage Plaza which is currently under construction. Present at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies were the Honorable Jose Manuel Heredia, Jr., Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation; H.E. Remus Li-Kuo Chen, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan); Honorable Patrick Faber, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture; Honorable Anthony Martinez, Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation, and Poverty Alleviation; and Honorable Tracy Taegar Panton, Minister of State with responsibility for Ministry of Investment, Trade, & Commerce.

The Government of Belize and the Taiwan International Cooperation Development Fund (ICDF) launched "The Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project" in 2014 as an effort to invest in the improvement of the core competencies of Downtown Belize City (its activity, historic value, culture heritage and community), and to encourage socio-economic integration. The project utilized an Eco-Museum Concept to highlight the various heritage sites in downtown Belize City. The project was executed by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in conjunction with the National Institute of Culture and History and the Belize City Council.

About the presenter: Albert Avila was born in Belize City and he is a graduate of the University College of Belize and Ferris State University with a Bachelors in Business Administration. His work and love for history and culture started in 2015 when he was hired as a consultant for the Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project.

A couple key initiatives Mr Avila spearheaded during that project were: the Belize City Primary School History and Social Studies Competition during the years 2016 to 2018. This event was aimed at developing a love for history among our youths through education and excitement. The second key initiative was the Christmas Brukdong Bram from 2016 to 2019. This event was a traditional Creole Christmas festival which included music, dancing, singing, and food.

At the end of the Downtown Rejuvenation Project, Mr Avila realized that we as Belizeans did not have a heritage preservation culture and that there was a need to build that culture. This realization motivated him to found the Belize National Historical Society Facebook group on June 29, 2020. The BNHS is now a fast growing Facebook group for Belizean history enthusiasts, with a membership of almost 20,000 members.

In the future, Albert hopes to convert this group to a non-profit organization of the same name with its main goal being the preservation of tangible heritage.

Thank you for tuning in to the Belize KULCHA Symposium! Remember to ask your questions in the comments!

This presentation was part of the 1st Annual Belize KULCHA Symposium