The Castries Market will soon get a face lift, a Christmas gift of sorts as the first phase of its refurbishment is expected to commence before the festive season.
A centre of business, political and social activities for decades and a fixture on the landscape of the City of Castries, the market has also been a constant headache to of the Castries Constituency Council, and a hotbed of complaints by its tenants.
The market is a primary source of revenue for the Castries Constituency Council housing a craft market, a food market, a fish market and various other businesses on its premises.
The William Peter Boulevard where parking could be an annoying activity for the faint hearted driver is also a place the Council had earmarked for major development but the latest project slated for the Boulevard is now on hold for lack of money.
The transformation of the Boulevard into a promenade has been the talk of succeeding Council administrations over the years.
The Council is presently liaising with the Ministry of Infrastructure to get control of the parking spaces in the Boulevard in order to eliminate the parking there and the annoyance faced by some motorists when attempting to park in an unoccupied space.
The idea according to by town clerk Reginald St. Juste is to commercialized the parking spaces in the Boulevard.
There will also be a revision of the parking arrangements at the Derek Walcott Square, where lots surrounding the Square are revenue generating for the Council. However complaints have arisen that may jeopardize that situation. Some persons who have rented parking lots are finding their lots occupied every now and then by other vehicles.
However the Council’s main focus is the Central Market. Funds for its renovation have already been source. The craft market is the first section that will be attended to.