LETTER OF THE DAY - Tackle downtown Kgn rebirth frontally

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The Gleaner's editorial of Thursday, June 28, 2012, asked, "What is the Government's plan for downtown Kingston?" It was also noticeable that the chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) was quick to respond in The Sunday Gleaner dated July 1, 2012, 'No plans to shut down downtown Kingston's development'.

But the question asked in your editorial is imperative and needs not just a quick, but a detailed, response.

While I am fascinated by the likely development to take place in downtown Kingston, I wish to share a few concerns:

1 There needs to be a careful study of the management of traffic downtown.

2 There is great need for more designated and secure parking areas. How will this be addressed, and who will operate such parking facilities?

3 There is dire need for suitable public sanitary conveniences at varied locations. It is my view that each of the major streets should have a sanitary convenience.

4 Citizens need to be assured and reassured of their safety as they traverse the city of Kingston. I am also of the view that if petty crime, or any other crime for that matter, is to be curbed downtown, there needs to be a careful review of the aesthetics of downtown Kingston. What about the creation of green space and amusement centres where families could visit?

5 An effective drainage system is needed, not only for downtown Kingston. An in-depth look needs to be taken of the entire Corporate Area and the necessary machinery be put in place to address this chronic problem. It does not have to rain for any long period to experience flooded streets.

What has helped to compound the problem, I believe, is the ongoing development of town houses in the Corporate Area. With such development, more water is likely to be channelled on to the roads, hence making them more difficult to drive on whenever it rains.

DALBERT LAING

dal_laing@yahoo.com