The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has handed over a garbage compactor truck valued at J$20 million to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) for the improvement of solid waste collection in Falmouth, Trelawny. The ceremony was held on January 30, 2015 at the Falmouth Square.
Speaking at the event, Lisa Golding, Community Integration Manager at the UDC who delivered an address on behalf of Desmond Malcolm, General Manager, said ‘The handing over of this truck represents the culmination of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) valued at over Forty Million Dollars (J$40 million). Under this MOU which was signed in 2011, other solid waste management activities previously carried out included installation of garbage receptacles and bins and procurement of special equipment such as leaf blowers.
Currently, the UDC is implementing an agreement with the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to improve the aesthetics of the streetscape when entering the town of Falmouth. This project has seen the UDC develop civil, electrical, and architectural designs and cost estimates for the project; prepare the specifications, drawings and detailed bills of quantities; and monitor and evaluate the project for quality assurance.
The Falmouth restoration project will cover two phases: Phase 1: streetscape improvement (which includes the screening of RADA buildings) and Phase 2, which will comprise façade improvement of the streets and the heritage residential district. The main objective is to enhance tourists’ and local residents’ experience in the historic town. This forms part of the UDC’s proposed redevelopment plan for greater Falmouth which aims to ensure an improved tourist product.
The scope of this project includes: improving the entry point and aesthetics of the three main streets: Market, Falmouth, and Tharpe (work on Harbour Lane is currently in progress). It will also see improvements to pedestrian crossings and paths/walkways and streetscaping to include banners, covered drains and paved walkways for both residents and visitors to enjoy more of the town and to move about freely in an atmosphere of safety. In addition, the partners are providing for the organization of vendors and vending areas to improve visitors’ experience (less harassment of the tourists); improvement to façades of buildings facing the port and historic buildings along the trolley path and walking tours, that is, the heritage residential district; provision of commerce potential for shops and kiosks on streets; and improvement of entry to the market and transportation centre.
As Jamaica’s main urban and rural development agency, the Corporation was mandated to coordinate the on-going resort upgrading programme for the historic Falmouth town centre and also develop the Greater Falmouth Re-development Plan from 2010 which is currently being used to support the Local Sustainable Development Planning efforts by the Trelawny Parish Council in its parish planning exercise.
Significant achievements realised in collaboration with a number of key partners over the years in Falmouth include the undertaking of programmes to address urban sprawl, protection of sensitive ecology and issues to do with the management of land use, the pedestrianisation of water square and creation of alternate public parking, landscaping and beautification, squatter relocation, sidewalk improvement, road paving, zinc fence replacement, erection of signage to streets, erection of story boards and clean-up programmes.