‘SQUARE’ TENTS THUMBS UP

Old Wooden And Galvanize Booths Give Way for New Year’s Fair.

The new white canvas tents for this week’s Asou Square. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

THE traditional New Year’s fun event, Asou Square, will take place this Friday and Saturday (January 1 and 2).

One major difference this time around is that the usual wooden and galvanized sheet food booths have given way to some conspicuously white canvas and metal tents.

The forty new tents were already set up along the pavement on Micoud Street, Bourbon Street and Laborie Street when The VOICE visited the venue yesterday. The Brazil Street portion of the venue will be reserved for tray vendors.

Security guards were also seen posted in some of the tents which measure about ten feet by ten feet and workmen were installing electrical sources for lighting.

For many years, patrons have complained about the unsightly wooden and galvanized sheet structures rented out to vendors during the event that ushers in the new year. But while the Castries Constituency Council (CCC) had gone on record as wanting to upgrade that service, limited finances were cited as mitigating factors that stalled their plans.

A CCC official told The VOICE yesterday that the Council bought the forty tents recently. He added that the CCC will rent an additional 15 tents locally, making available a total 55 tents to vendors. He said the tents have been under 24-hour security since being set up over the weekend.

These food booths used for last January’s Asou Square might have seen their last days. [PHOTO: Stan Bishop]

Since the new tents went up around Derek Walcott Square last Sunday, the upgrade has received positive reactions from many people. One woman who has been attending the annual event for many years now told The VOICE yesterday that the new layout actually enhances the venue.

“I like it,” she said. “It looks more uniform than the old galvanized booths they used to have. It looks more appealing and actually lifts up the ‘Square’ itself.”

Another Asou Square fan said this: “It was about time that they did something about those old booths they used to have. Those booths were so unsightly.”

The Asou Square tradition goes back to about 75 years and is the crescendo for the Christmas season for many Saint Lucians who gather at the venue for some food, fun and other indulgences.

The event returned to its current location this year after being decentralized for over three decades in other locations, including Sans Souci (along the John Compton Highway), Cul-de-Sac, Beausejour Promenade and Pigeon Point.

With schools reopening next Monday, there will be no Asou Square activities on Sunday. While many patrons have registered their disappointment with that fact, others seem content with just having improved facilities.