PPB representatives Lydia Arnell and Valentin Davis stand by the vision board outlining PPB’s vision for the country's capital.
~ Aims to get stakeholders, govt. on board ~
PHILIPSBURG--A Ferris wheel attraction on Boardwalk Boulevard at the head of town, turning unused concrete stumps into planters, brightening alleys with themed decor, a mega LED screen at the centre of Boardwalk Boulevard and having a huge lighted “Great Bay” sign on the sand are amongst a number of ideas that the Philipsburg Promotional Board (PPB) wants to see executed in Philipsburg to not just spruce up town, but to also attract traffic back to the country’s capital.
Given the parking challenges that exist, the intention is to also offer structured evening-time valet parking for persons visiting Philipsburg when the sun goes down. PPB’s intention is for persons to enjoy an experience when visiting town and to make the city bright and inviting, during the day and night, for persons to want to visit and savour the experience.
PPB President Valentin Davis and member Lydia Arnell outlined the comprehensive plan during an interview at the office of The Daily Herald on Monday. Davis said PPB had held an introductory meeting with Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Roger Lawrence some months back and plans to have a follow up meeting to discuss the plans further with both the TEATT and Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Ministers.
PPB also plans to meet with the various stakeholders and businesses in an effort to get them on board, as the intention is for it to be a collaborative initiative.
PPB divided Philipsburg into three sections for the plan: Uptown, Midtown and Downtown. The intention is to carry out several “low hanging fruit” short-term projects for each section which can be completed within a short time frame and, in most cases, are not too costly. The intention is to start with the Uptown area, which runs from the Parliament Building to Emmaplein and includes Boardwalk Boulevard. The plan is dubbed “Philipsburg Alive – Uptown.” The other sections will follow.
“We need to create an atmosphere for people to want to come down to Philipsburg and stay in Philipsburg,” said Davis, who was visibly excited about the plan and its potential for Philipsburg. “We need to create a feeling where people don’t just want to go to Penha to pick up a perfume, but want to go to Philipsburg as a destination.”
He said Front Street and Boardwalk Boulevard are the “energizers” to Back Street, Cannegieter Street and the midtown and downtown areas, hence this area is part of the first phase.
Ferris wheel
One of the key components of the proposal is to have an attraction in town to drive traffic to the city. PPB believes this can be accomplished by having a Ferris wheel set up on Boardwalk Boulevard opposite Pasanggrahan Royal Guesthouse.
Research has already been done on the cost involved. According to Davis, such an attraction can generate about US $1 million annually. The intention is for PPB to secure a permit from government and seek an investor to cover the cost of the initiative. It would be a partnership, with PPB getting a small percentage of the proceeds to help continue its work in keeping Philipsburg alive.
“A Ferris wheel can be a big attraction for Philipsburg,” said Davis, noting that it would have the capability of bringing entire families to town for hours of enjoyment.
Fitness zone
Another idea is to have a fitness zone similar to a calisthenics park located at the end of Boardwalk Boulevard, where persons can go to engage in light outdoor fitness, bodyweight and stretching exercises on equipment such as pull-up bars and monkey bars, amongst others. Many persons walk on Boardwalk Boulevard and can use the fitness zone to do their stretches after their walk.
Alleys
As part of the plan, PPB came up with themes for the alleys in town from Diamond Casino to Cyrus Wathey Square. The idea is to decorate the alleys according to the selected themes. One alley, for example, has a rainforest theme and the idea is to create a rainforest vibe in that alley. PPB has already secured a sponsor for this particular alley. It just needs to secure a permit to execute it. The permit was requested a year ago and PPB is awaiting a response to its request.
Another alley is to be decorated vertically with different-coloured decorative lights running from the tops to the bottoms of buildings in the alley, which is currently dark at night.
Another alley will be themed “Umbrella Alley” and the intention is to have it decorated with colourful upside-down umbrellas.
PPB’s vision is to also paint the pavers in another alley in different colours, for a vibrant Caribbean feel. This project has already started, but was interrupted by inclement weather.
Another alley would have colourful lights hanging overhead to create an inviting ambiance.
Planters
One of the easier and inexpensive parts of the plan is creating planters at several locations around Philipsburg. Davis said a walkthrough was done in town and several locations were identified where planters can be placed along Front Street, as many of the original palm trees have been destroyed or removed.
“We can fill those spaces with different sized plants,” he said. Arnell said the plants will be low maintenance types.
Another plan is to remove the boulders that were placed in front of the courthouse in Philipsburg at the entrance of Cyrus Wathey Square and replace them with poles and planters that can be removed easily if, for example, a fire truck needs to access the area. Davis and Arnell believe the plants will create a more inviting and pleasing environment and are also part of the beautification of the area.
Lighting
Brightening up several dark areas in town is also part of the plan. An area in need of brightening up is the parking lot at Clem Labega Square. Davis said there is a need for the lot to have sufficient lights at night. Lights are also needed for surrounding areas. PPB would also like several buildings that are dark at night to be lit up with architectural lights similar to those in South Beach in Miami, Florida. String lights can be used to enhance some buildings such as the Catholic Church in town.
Another idea is to have string lights strung along the light poles along the entire stretch of Boardwalk Boulevard and to turn the bases of the lights into planters. The intention is to get sponsors for each planter who will cover the cost of the planter and the plants and have their names displayed at the planter’s base.
Signage
One of the complaints from tourists is that while they know about Front Street, they do not know where it is. PPB wants directional signage to be placed centrally in the vicinity of the Philipsburg Marketplace indicating where Back Street and Front Street are. It would be better if the signs are lit so that they can be visible at night.
A major sign in town would be to have a lit Great Bay sign placed in the sand just off Boardwalk Boulevard opposite the Catholic Church. A sponsor has already been secured to design the sign and businesses will be approached for the material to construct it.
Another idea is for there to be signage indicating where restaurants, bars and cafes are located in the alleys in town. The intention is for the signage to be uniform and it can, for example, have flashing neon lights.
PPB also envisions having street banners depicting local icons to be placed on the poles along Front Street and Boardwalk Boulevard. Stores can have leaflets to hand out, with mini-stories indicating who the icons are.
LED screen
Placing a mega-LED screen in the vicinity of Captain Hodge Wharf is also part of PPB’s vision. The screen can be used to promote Philipsburg as well as highlight upcoming activities that are planned for Philipsburg. Events happening on one section of Boardwalk Boulevard can also be highlighted on the screen in real time. PPB wants to secure the licence for the signage and seek an investor for the actual project. PPB can get a percentage of the returns.
Free Wi-Fi
PPB would also like to see free Wi-Fi being offered in the area of Cyrus Wathey Square. This, Davis said, will help to attract people to town and inspire them, while there, to grab a snack and beverage, thereby supporting businesses.
Garbage bins
PPB also wants to spruce up the look of the garbage bins around town, which are currently in simple open enclosures, by placing photos of touristy spots on the island around the front of the bins’ enclosures. Ads can be placed on the sides of the enclosure.
PPB is optimistic about its plans and is excited to meet with government and stakeholders to get on board, as its plans are intended to be public/private partnerships.
