Velop Merriman Mall parking area
night and finding parking s become an issue during the y.
He added that the parking ea is needed since the situan becomes particularly aotic when the churches and osque nearby are all operatg at the same time.
Against this background, out two months ago Bacchus ote to the Georgetown ayor and City Council M&CC) requesting a section the mall to be used as parkg and later received a posie response.
He said he was leased the ction between Albert and ght streets at a cost of $1.3 llion per year. He paid for e first year last month and he d he is presently working to grade the area to make it table for parking. He added at his aim is to equip the area th solar lights and to beautify in other ways. He believe at the area leased to him will at least 300 vehicles. Bacchus noted that while e parking area will be his ponsibility financially, the will be open for use by her businesses, such as kewell. The deal has already und a vocal critic in former ayor Hamilton Green, who, a letter in yesterday’s abroek News, shared his hock, surprise and disgust” at learning that a private developer has been given permission to use a portion of Merriman Mall for commercial vehicular parking.He further voiced his disbelief “that all Councillors supported this abomination,” while adding that “many of us who appreciate the importance of securing the integrity of our City, maintaining a certain ambience and beauty could not believe this descent to sheer folly and self-destruction.”
Green noted that except for the blocks north of Bourda Market, the rest of Merriman Mall was intended to be open spaces and cultural activities, and preserving the greenery.
However, Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore on Wednesday said that the decision to lease the section of the mall was influenced by congestion, including the impact on the churches and mosque nearby.
He assured this newspaper that the decision made was discussed and approved by the council, with councillors from both APNU and the PPP/C in agreement.
He added that Bacchus’ request dovetails with the need to bring order to the area in general.
Green, in his letter, had also highlighted that both the Central Housing and Planning Authority and the Municipality in the past agreed that developers in the city who are establishing businesses that will require staff and customer parking should provide on-site parking, including as happened elsewhere, a floor dedicated for the parking of their vehicles. He added that while there has always been a resistance by some uncaring, selfish developers, it is the duty of the administrators to insist that this reasonable and necessary requirement be complied with.
Critics have long argued that businesses of the scale of Sleepin should not be permitted where there is no room for parking. Furthermore, they argue that zoning rules should not permit businesses like casinos in what has always been a residential area.