Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 09/Sep 16:30

I Love Tobago sign to be relocated

THE I Love Tobago gateway sign on Milford Road, Scarborough, is expected to be moved to the esplanade, in the heart of the capital city, by the end of this week. Kevon Mc Kenna, chair of the board of directors of the Milford Road Esplanade, made the announcement at a news conference on September 5. He said the relocation is part of a broader initiative aimed at making the esplanade the major tourism hub in Scarborough. The sign, a project of the Division of Settlement, Urban Renewal and Public Utilities, was launched on June 4, 2020 by the previous administration, several months after the start of the covid19 pandemic. It has since been one of Tobago’s major photographic sites for regulars and first-time visitors to the island. Built by a Tobago contractor, Rojas Engineering, the sign is made of marine-grade, corrosion-resistant stainless steel and is 54 feet long and eight feet high. Mc Kenna claimed the business community, tenants and other stakeholders support moving the sign. “The moving of that sign is not just about aesthetics,” he said. “We looked at safety concerns. With the present sign location, persons are in the road trying to take that perfect photo." In addition, "If the esplanade is to become the tourism hub as we want it to be and attract persons from the cruise ships and the diaspora, we have to make here attractive. So the I Love Tobago sign would move in short order to the esplanade, where it will be the centre of attraction.” Mc Kenna said a large tree had occupied the spot where the sign is to be relocated, but the tree was rotting at its base and powerful winds recently toppled it. He said the Tobago Emergency Management Agency used power saws to cut the large branches and employees from the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development cleared the area. Once the sign is relocated, Mc Kenna said locals and visitors will have more space to take photos and videos. Individuals and groups can also rent the sign for events, he added. He said Rojas Engineering will also be responsible for its relocation. The new site, Mc Kenna said, allows for frequent maintenance. “Past governments would have probably paid a contractor every two to three days to wash down the salt water from the sign. With the sign moved into the Esplanade, it means that the workers here on their early-morning shift, when they have to cut the grass and do general maintenance, can now take up that. So you are saving.” He said tourists and locals can also visit the various booths nearby while enjoying the ambience on the esplanade. In terms of upgrades, Mc Kenna said, over $90,000 has been spent so far, most of which came from tenants who were in arrears. “When we came here, we had a number of tenants who were not paying their rent for over a year, some over two years, some almost three years.” He said while most have paid, “Some of them were given notice to quit, as we cannot continue in the bad relationship of them not paying at all. “So with that we also opened and invited new persons to come in. That was recently closed off, so very shortly we will see some new tenants coming in.” Mc Kenna said one booth was converted into an office for members of the Milford Esplanade board. “We have to make our staff members comfortable.” He said the Unemployment Relief Programme is also collaborating with the board to upgrade the other booths. The board, Mc Kenna said, recently signed a contract with the Eco-Industrial Development Company of Tobago to repair the fence on the esplanade. It also plans to set up a children’s play area. On new additions, Mc Kenna said Biashara, a store specialising in patriotic merchandise, is expected to be launched during the second week of October. A soft launch was held in late August. A cambio is also expected to come on stream before the upcoming carnival, which takes place from October 25-27. Tenants will also be asked to price their products and services in TT and US currency. “If we are attracting tourists, our prices also have to reflect that.” Looking ahead to the October carnival and the cruise-ship season, Mc Kenna said a sub-committee of the board, comprising Marsha Roberts-Trim and Kim Clarke, has been put in charge of organising events with the tenants. The post I Love Tobago sign to be relocated appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.