GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas – Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey, on Wednesday outlined reasons why she supports the Urban Renewal Bill and the benefits it offers for residents of Grand Bahama Island, and particularly those in the Garden Villas area.
These remarks were made in the House of Assembly during the debate on the Urban Renewal Authority Bill, 2024.
The Member of Parliament for Pineridge Constituency said the Collab Unit, a division of the Ministry for Grand Bahama, has partnered with Urban Renewal on several projects including: the revitalisation of the Urban Renewal Center in Pineridge, improvements to the community’s park, the development of the Pine Forest Park as well as restrooms in Sunset Village, Eight Mile Rock.
“We will continue to collab with the Urban Renewal Authority on impactful for our people and our communities.”
Describing the partnership between the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Urban Renewal as “coming full circle,” she added that in collaboration with the US State Department, a commitment was made for the redevelopment of Garden Villas, also known as the ghetto.
The project will be known as 'Garden Village,' of which Garden Villas is a part. The focus will be to build a sustainable, smart neighbourhood that will be self-sufficient and reliant.
“The Garden Village project is committed to transforming the Garden Villas neighbourhood, colloquially known as The Ghetto, into a sustainable community hub. This ambitious initiative focuses on community revitalization with a housing development that will be a model for The Bahamas.”
She continued, “This ambitious initiative aims to acquire properties, relocate squatters, demolish existing structures and revitalize communities. The key objectives include enhancing climate resilience, promoting economic growth through sustainable initiatives, fostering entrepreneurship and business development and supporting comprehensive community development.”
Redevelopment, said Minister Moxey, includes constructing new apartment buildings and single-family homes, rehabilitations and retrofits to existing homes, a resilience center, cooperative agrotech farming solutions, as well as public space and infrastructure improvements.
“This pilot project will serve as a model for broader urban resilient efforts in Grand Bahama and across The Bahamas, integrating sustainable building practices and fostering economic growth.
“The Garden Village project aligns with the government's vision for urban renewal in inner city revitalization.”
This will be a collaborative effort between the Ministry for Grand Bahama, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal, the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources.
