Udecott launches Ariapita Avenue arch design contest

THE URBAN Development Corporation of TT (Udecott) is hosting a competition for the public to design an arch depicting "what Ariapita Avenue means to you."

The winner's design will be built at the entrance and exit of the major road in Woodbrook.

The state company advertised the competition in Friday's newspapers, saying there were also three unspecified prizes to be won, in addition to the artist's work being credited on both arches.

The arches will span the road, Udecott said, welcoming everyone to Ariapita Avenue.

The competition is open to TT nationals 16 and over. The work can be a drawing, painting, collage, digital or done in a mixed-media format.

The judging criteria include creativity, originality, "embodiment of the Ariapita Avenue culture," and command of the chosen art medium.

Newsday spoke on Friday with a representative of Udecott, who said the names of the judges will not be disclosed, but "comprise a reputable joint panel."

She confirmed that installing the arches is one of the early steps Udecott and the Port of Spain City Corporation are taking as part of a plan to to revitalise areas in and around the capital.

The arches are part of the Ariapita Avenue Enhancement Project.

Thousands of viewers streamed a stakeholders' consultation in April, during which Marlon Charles, a senior architect at Udecott, highlighted a number of proposed changes and upgrades to the popular liming spot.

These included two multi-storey car parks, changes to Adam Smith Square, improved pavements, and making the area more pedestrian-friendly. The development is to be done in phases.

Registration forms to enter the contest to design the arches can be downloaded on the company's website and Facebook page. The deadline is October 15, with the draw to take place two weeks later on November 1.

The prizes will be disclosed before the deadline for submissions, the representative said.