G O O D P R A C T I C E S R E P O R T

Revitalizing a Downtown Park in Belize City, Belize: Design and Management of Open Spaces for Urban Communities and

Small Businesses

BELIZE CITY: TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Belize City is a culturally and commercially diverse community in Belize. Home to 80,000 residents of diverse ethnic origins (Creole, Chinese, Latino, East Indian, Garifuna, Lebanese and Maya), Belize City is the largest English-speaking urban community in Central America. The city is also the country’s financial and industrial hub. Its assets include the principal seaport, the country’s only international airport and the largest number of commercial enterprises in Belize.

However, while Belize is well known for its diving sites, Mayan heritage and Central American wildlife and birds, downtown Belize City is often not on visitors’ “must-see” list. As a result, significant economic potential remains untapped. For years, City Council has struggled to maintain abandoned historical buildings and 22 parks in the downtown area. Local entrepreneurs also faced challenges in opening and operating businesses, and youth unemployment was an ongoing concern. This created a depressed environment, and international tourists have tended to remain on their cruise ships or stay in a tourist village or in neighboring communities.

In 2012, the Belize City Council decided it was time to turn this situation around. Building on Belize’s

“Horizon 2030” development strategy, the Council launched the Belize City Master Plan and identified a series of flagship projects to promote business growth, community involvement and the development of open spaces. As part of this strategy and in consultation with the local business community, local parks were targeted for revitalization to provide multi-use recreation and leisure sites for citizens and tourists. One flagship project, the BTL Park Project, aimed to:

Three years later, the BTL Park is starting to bloom. This good practice document looks at what was accomplished by the Council and its partners, and outlines a simple roadmap that can inspire other leaders facing similar development challenges.

Provide support for new and existing micro and small enterprises to start up and grow;

Attract tourists through infrastructure regeneration and better linkages with the Fort George Tourism Park;

Provide a range of quality programs and services through the development of environmental and cultural programs.

This good practice report is part of a series to share replicable innovative approaches and models to local economic development that have been successfully applied by partners of the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED). CARILED operates in partnership with local authorities and communities in seven countries in the Caribbean (Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, and is implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, in partnership with the Caribbean Forum of Local Government Ministers, the Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, with financing from the Government of Canada.

WHAT’S IN A PARK?

The “BTL Park”, named for initial contributor, the local telecommunications provider Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), provides an oasis in Belize City for local families and tourists. It is at the moment the only large outdoor space with waterfront features within the city. The park is open 24 hours a day, every day. It is well-lit, and has security around the clock

This flagship project demonstrates the following results:

An increase in revenue for local businesses – City Council led the construction of 28 vendor kiosks (24 single and 4 double kiosks) and trained 48 local vendors in business management, half of them now operating in the park. The number of family-owned and operated businesses grew from 9 to 28, employing over 50 persons working in the various kiosks. The city’s Local Economic Development Officer provided oversight to the support provided to vendors, and checked regularly with them on the evolution of their economic situation. Vendors at the BTL Park report an increase of 25% in sales on average, with start-ups at the park grossing a higher monthly income than start-ups located anywhere else in Belize City.

A new, family-friendly space for the community– The Park includes entertainment areas, such as a stage for performances, a children’s play area, sporting areas and seating facilities. Visitors can now swim, enjoy kayaking and ride jet-skis near downtown Belize. Public toilet facilities have also been installed. The Park sees an average of 500 daily visitors, increasing to an average of 900 visitors during special events. It has become a famous spot for downtown events, with over 90 scheduled activities by early 2015, including arts (movie and music events), outdoor activities (exercise classes, volleyball and swimming) and children’s parties. And, adding additional appeal, a memorandum of understanding is currently being finalized for the provision of free Wi-Fi facilities in the Park, powered by BTL and the Government of Belize.

A physical location to celebrate the history of Belize City – Belize City took to the ‘air age’ in

1927 and was introduced to it by Colonel Charles Lindbergh. Once a landing site for that famous aviator, the BTL Park now captures information on the landing and other activities in a series of historical interpretive panels along its pathways. The panels serve as visual points of interest for tourists, and contributed to an increase in school tours and other visitors to the park. An existing partnership between the City Council, the Belize Tourism Board and the National Institute of Culture and History will help shape future displays and historical tourist attractions in the Park, as well as in the downtown Belize City area.

A new source of revenue for Belize City – Activities organized at BTL Park provide a new source of revenue for the Belize City Council and the Government of Belize. One year into operation, the Park continues to grow and offer opportunities for further local economic development (LED), collecting revenue related to licensing fees, kiosk rental fees, income taxes from vendors and sales taxes during park events.

CARILED | 2

G O O D P R A C T I C E S R E P O R T

G O O D P R A C T I C E S R E P O R T

The BTL Park project represents a significant investment (US $1.3 million), with the majority provided by the Belize City Council, and some contributions made by other local and international partners. An innovative funding mechanism was also piloted by the City to gather the funds required: Belize City indeed became the first local authority in the country to float a municipal bond under the Municipal Bond Act of June 2012. Belize City successfully launched its bond in November 2012. This pilot provided an opportunity to test a new funding mechanism, and has become part of the solution for future activities managed by the Belize City Council. The approach adopted by Belize City is also seen as a good practice in the country, and Belize City has begun working with several other municipal initiatives in Belize to assist with floating their bonds.

A SIMPLE ROAD MAP TO REPLICATE THIS GOOD PRACTICE

The BTL Park Project was viewed as an interesting model for collective action to improve local economic development and community wellbeing. The Project provided an effective approach that local authorities can follow to restore open spaces for local community and small entrepreneurs.

When starting a similar project, local leaders should consider the following steps:

STEP 1: Define the opportunity, and build support: The BTL Park Project originated from the strategic direction provided by the Belize City “Horizon 2030” development strategy and the Master Plan. Elected and appointed officials shaped the initial direction, including pre-feasibility studies and lobbying for the project. The Mayor and Council of Belize City shared the preliminary plans for the BTL Park with several stakeholders, vendors and international partners. This effort helped mobilize the technical and financial support that made the project possible, and resulted in feedback to improve the proposal.

STEP 2: Secure funding for the project: Financing is always important for restoration and construction works, and in particular for open space, public parks and recreational projects like the BTL Park. Planning funding mechanisms should usually be prioritized before the launch of the initiative. Resource mobilization through innovative financing techniques should be explored and several revenue streams to launch and maintain the open space need to be discussed during the initial planning stages. The goals and objectives behind the open space restoration should be clearly detailed in a written proposal, ideally including sketches or outlines of proposed layout, usage and management systems prior to mobilization of resources.

STEP 3: Establish a dedicated team: From the outset, the BTL Park Project was centred on creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. Core to the success of this strategic element was the work of a dedicated Local Economic Development Officer, who coordinated the various stakeholders, and a working group from the Belize City Council, who collaborated with the LED Planning and Advisory Committee to plan and monitor the restoration of the Park, the training of vendors and the creation of the Vendors Association. All vendors working in the park received support to build a business plan. The Vendors Association later became a partner in the monitoring and management of the park, along with the Belize City Council.

CARILED | 3

STEP 4: Build and implement a community engagement strategy for the project: An effective communication and public relations strategy makes community engagement more interactive, inclusive and useful throughout design, implementation and day-to-day management. In the case of the BTL Park, the engagement strategy involved a series of focus groups, public consultations, ongoing engagement with vendors, and a communication campaign. The involvement of both the vendors and community members in the design and launch of open spaces helped ensure use and patronage of the open space post-launch. The engagement of business associations and community members as part of the management team was another way of promote buy-in of these stakeholders.

STEP 5: Build the park! As a waterfront space, the Council arranged for land reclamation, an upgraded seawall, raising and levelling of the grounds and landscaping. The Council is still in the process of adding more trees and shaded areas, which are especially important during the region’s hot, dry days. Environmental considerations related to waste disposal, clean-up and the effects of climate change-related weather patterns were carefully considered. The park management team also recognized that other environmental considerations, e.g. waste disposal and flood mitigation systems, were needed for the maintenance and ongoing upkeep of the Park.

STEP 6: Launch and maintenance: To ensure ongoing maintenance, written guidelines for managers and users of the space should be completed prior to the launch of the park. The park manager for the BTL Park follows guidelines set out in a policy and operations manual, an Events Planning manual and a Business Strategy for the park. Events planning, whether led by Council, vendors or private groups, are very important to motivate and encourage patrons to the open space. Activities, such as the special events and daily activities planned for BTL Park, should be scheduled in both off-peak and peak usage periods to promote ongoing use of the open space.

SOME USEFUL LESSONS LEARNED

Champions often make (or break) ambitious projects: The existence of champions in the form of elected officials and private or public partners is vital to shape and promote a shared vision. Champions can also advocate for support of multi-stakeholder projects, leading to a more integrated, inclusive approach with all stakeholders and groups to LED initiatives. In the BTL Park Project, the Mayor, Council members and local economic development officer acted as champions, encouraging community members to participate in the designing, building and ongoing maintenance of the space.

Community engagement is the key to success: Management and marketing strategies were developed for the BTL Park to promote the use of this enhanced public space by residents and visitors. Canadian municipal experts were mobilized to advise the design of these strategies, and a central consideration was to involve the community and private sector stakeholders in the effort.

The sharing of ideas and information on the

project through focus groups,

advertisements and other public awareness

platforms created communication channels

between the core project team and future

park users. This approach resulted in more

involvement by residents and a higher record

of local patrons visiting the BTL Park after its

official opening, when compared with a

previous similar project of the City Council.

Still, planned activities following the opening

were still important in order to keep the

community engaged and interested in the

use and maintenance of the park.

CARILED | 4

G O O D P R A C T I C E S R E P O R T

G O O D P R A C T I C E S R E P O R T

Include climate-related considerations in construction design: The restoration of an eroded park along the waterfront, along with the construction of a reinforced seawall, was a deliberate effort of Belize City in meeting the challenges of climate changes. This was a good approach to improve community readiness to climate change in an iterative manner. All kiosks were also retrofitted with ‘hurricane shutters’ to prepare for the high winds and heavy rains that are common in Belize during the rainy season. Other urban areas that are below sea level should consider the steps needed to maintain waterfront spaces that can be affected by rising sea levels.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Barbara ElringtonLocal Economic Development Unit ManagerBelize City, BelizeEmail: cariled.belize@gmail.com financedirector@belizecitycouncil.org

Leidi UrbinaCARILED National Country CoordinatorBelmopan, BelizeEmail: cariled@fcm.ca

CARILED | 5