PoS mayor: Facelift for Broadway, walk of fame

BROADWAY in Port of Spain will be transformed into a tree-lined avenue where pedestrians will enjoy music over loudspeakers, if Port of Spain mayor Joel Martinez has his way.

He shared his thoughts at Wednesday’s statutory meeting of the PoS City Council at City Hall.

“We’d like to extend the pavement on both sides, plant trees and bring an ambience to Broadway.”

Martinez said music would played over loudspeakers for 24 hours a day, all as part of the Broadway Beautification Project.

He later told reporters the trees planted would bear flowers to create a pleasant scent at Broadway, saying, “You see cities around the world and say, 'Wow!'”

Martinez also said Charlotte Street will be pedestrianised.

He also proposed a Walk of Fame area near Memorial Mark and NAPA.

“We want to honour our icons of culture who over the years have given TT works of art,” Martinez said.

He said it would be like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which consists of almost 3,000 stars in the pavement to honour US celebrities.

The mayor also proposed to open up Tamarind Square and Columbus Squares near the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, which are both currently fenced off.

“We want to help the city to breathe,” he later told reporters.

Newsday asked about the continued closure of Woodford Square, initially due to old tree branches falling on two Venezuelans in January.

“We looked after the sick trees and are doing an exercise throughout the city. We are also doing a replanting exercise,” he replied.

Speaking through Newsday, Martinez called on corporate TT to help fund the pruning of the remaining trees.

He said work remained to be done on the Aphrodite statue, and on the public toilets in the square.

In fact the statue has been restored, but the fountain in which it stands is not working.

“We will light up the fountain. That should happen before the end of this year.”

Martinez said Woodford Square must be upgraded to match the quality of the renovation of the Red House across Abercromby Street.

“The only reason Woodford Square remains closed now is because of covid. We had decided to close our parks and squares in the adoption of the national protocols on covid.

"We’ll do work on it in the meantime.”

Martinez said the corporation hopes to do more with less owing to economic challenges.

He told the meeting he had spoken with the mayor of Shanghai, China about twinning the cities. He had spoken to the East Port of Spain Development Company, which he said had many plans for development, but so far little execution.

"I put forward ideas for the Brian Lara Promenade," he added.

Martinez paid tribute to former councillor for Belmont North and West, the late Akille Durham, who he said had represented his district with distinction. “It is really sad to have lost such a young, dynamic person. We mourn his death.

"We assisted the family. We had a memorial for him at City Hall. He gave us a lot to think about.”