Beaches & Parks: A Missed Opportunity for Community Revitalization
- Erika Culmer
- May 1
- 8 min read
$141 Million Dollars. That's what this current government claims to have spent in 4 years on public beaches and parks in The Bahamas. $141 Million Dollars or an average of $35 Million Dollars annually spent on planning, controlling, designing, managing and maintaining around 200 sites throughout The Bahamas. And yet, our parks are still in incredible disarray.
"And let's be even more honest. Most of these "parks" aren't really parks."
Much of the equipment is so broken that they are a hazard more than an amenity. And let's be even more honest. Most of these "parks" aren't really parks. They are a few playsets on large open fields. Basic Park amenities such as parking, gazebos, sidewalks, landscaping and activities for various ages don't exist. What could be a beautiful meeting place that brings communities together and inspires them is a lackluster, underdeveloped patch of grass. The Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority is missing a crucial opportunity for community revitalization.
The Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority ("the Authority") was created in 2014 to create a governmental body accountable for "identify[ing], regulat[ing], maintain[ing], develop[ing] and conserv[ing] public parks and public beaches and for connected purposes." (source.) It has been tasked with several key responsibilities including:
"to control, plan, design, develop, administer, manage, and maintain" the parks and beaches.
to conserve and protect the natural elements of the areas including the preservation of plants, animals, and items of historical, visual or scientific interest.
to maintain the upkeep of the sites including the removal of "derelict objects," maintaining of landscape boundaries, and site cleanliness.
to promote and manage recreational and educational activities of the sites.
and to advise the Minister on matters of construction and development of all types on the sites.
You can read the full act here: laws.bahamaks.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/2014/2014-0049/2014-0049_1.pdf
With the money spent by the Authority, we should be seeing more results than we do now. So why aren't we? It's obvious that the spending is being at best, mismanaged. It seems as though the work has either not been contracted out at all or the contracted businesses are getting the payments and not being held accountable for the work. And in some cases, money is being redirected to areas that are not under the Authority's purview. It's a distressing situation, particularly in a time when as a country we are suffering economically, mentally and physically.
How can we resolve this?
Revitalizing parks is one way to respond to multiple problems that our country is facing. We currently lack free meeting places and activities that are easily accessible by the public. Many times, the only place to meet is a beach, which typically requires a car to get to. Additionally, mental health has become such a prevalent issue that the government is talking about creating mental health days for employees. Economically, the money received from taxes and tourism is not being adequately incorporated into the economy. Instead, it is either circulating in certain areas (such as the port) or going to foreigners and not reaching the average Bahamian. Some areas are also flood frequently, while others lack adequate shade. As a community amenity, parks have the power to resolve many of these issues.
"Parks can also be a place of inspiration -- they don't need to be basic swing sets and slides."
Design-wise, parks all over the world are used to tackle multiple issues that a community faces. For many areas that flood, parks double as a detention area where excess rainfall can collect and naturally soak into the ground, protecting homes from water damage. Parks can also be a place of inspiration -- they don't need to be basic swing sets and slides. They can have more exciting equipment such as Trotwood Park in Winter Springs that not only features an incredible playground with equipment for multiple age ranges, but also a water pad that operates during certain months of the year. They can also be a place of wonder such as Park Guell designed by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, Spain. Parks don't have to be as basic as we've made them in the past.
In addition to design, parks can also help to solve part of the economic crisis we are facing. How do we get money collected from taxes and tourism, and incorporate it in a sustainable way into the local economy? The answer is hyper-local investing. Hyper-local investing focuses on directing financial resources directly into a specific area by hiring extremely local to a specific project. These parks need design, construction and maintenance. All of these things are elements that have to be paid for by the Authority. With these services, hyper-local investing is the way to go. What does hyper-local investing look like? Instead of hiring companies that can do the work from anywhere, hyper-local investing hires directly from neighbours and community members in the area.
There are multiple benefits to hyperlocal investing. Some of the key benefits are:
Injects much needed capital into neighbourhoods.
Creates jobs.
Brings communities together for a common purpose.
Beautifies the community.
Brings a sense of pride to the community.
Engages the community positively.
What would it look like if Public Parks & Beaches Authority employed hyper-local investing?
Imagine a community that has an existing park that contains broken equipment and all and all, is unkempt. Weeds are growing everywhere; stray dogs and other animals frequent the area including pests like rats because garbage is not properly maintained, and persons who do use this park tend to decimate it with destructive behaviours such as graffiti or public urination. No one, or very few will find this park usable, thus the park is more of an eyesore than a benefit for the community. It's obvious from this situation that a new park needs to be built. Here's how the Authority would hyper-local invest in this scenario:
Step 1: Workshop Meeting with Residents
Instead of immediately sourcing contractors from anywhere in the country, the Authority in conjunction with the local Member of Parliament (MP) office host a workshop meeting with local residents and a design professional in the current park. The purpose of the workshop is to understand the needs and wants of the residents and to work together to come up with solutions to address them. While not every idea can be implemented, the most important part about the workshop is getting community buy in. Buy in from community members is vital because this park is not just a budget line item, it's a community amenity that residents will use and help them to value their neighbourhood.
Step 2: Smaller Meetings with Design Professional, MP office and the Authority.
It's not always possible to address every want and need but one of the responsibilities of a design professional is to do their best to address them while still making the park beautiful, usable and budget-friendly. After the initial meeting with residents, a smaller meeting is held to work through logistical, environmental, and other requirements that have to be met in order for the project to move forward from a governmental standpoint. There may also be other desires for the park that are not publicly announced that can be addressed in the meeting including addressing community flooding, preparing for infrastructure and potential phases the park may have to go through. Out of this meeting, a design is created and a vision for the park can be actively promoted.
Step 3: Promote the design and invite community members to comment on the project.
Another workshop or presentation to the neighbours will help them to feel heard and also give opportunity for questions and comments. Designs typically need another pass over by users to make sure it will fulfill the needs of the community. Additional comments allow the Authority to understand if the project will be beneficial to the community or if it potentially creates new issues. There may also be new ideas that are a more effective way of addressing things that may come about. The communication with the residents allows for more ownership in the design which will help the project to be more successful in the long run.
Step 4: Bid the project out with a preference given to community members.
When it comes to bidding, give preference to community members who actually live in the neighbourhood. Don't just allow for bids on maintenance, but the actual construction as well. As a part of accepted bids, ensure that at least a percentage of those employed by the contract are actually from the neighbourhood. This is important for many reasons:
First, if you take time to build something for yourself and family, you're more likely to value it. That means it will get built better, and more likely to be used and maintained.
Next, the money from the project goes directly into the community's income. This money is used for things like paying mortgages, renovating homes, purchasing from local shops, paying expenses and more.
Third, people hired for the project have more positive future prospects. Someone who can't work due to lack of transportation or time constraints can work a few minutes walk from home. Neighbours identify other neighbours with certain skills and invite them to work for them once the project is over. They are also recommended to other projects simply because someone saw them working on that project.
Imagine what it would mean for a low-income community to receive anywhere from $100,000 - $500,000 a year when minimum wage is less than $14,000 per year.
Step 5: Keep the community involved and engaged.
Updates and invitations throughout the process can help to keep community members engaged in the process. This shouldn't be limited to adults. Children and teenagers can also be apart of the process. For example, part of the construction can be having certain elements built or designed by the youth of the community. A mural painted together is a memorable experience for all and guarantees that additional care will be taken. Pouring pavers where handprints and signatures are placed. Painting equipment. Hosting events and showcases. All of these are things that help the community use the space in a positive way and keeps within the responsibilities of the Authority.
Step 6: Track the impact.
Tracking the impact will make future programs more viable because of the clear evidence of success. Some data points to measure include understanding how many temporary and permanent jobs were created due to the project, employment rates before, during and after the project, how often the park is used and by whom, and how financial resources are spent (for example, is there a markable difference in the maintenance of homes in the area?) Another data point to track is how residents feel about the project and their community. Crime and the amount of cars might also be interesting data points to track.
Imagine the impact on the community if some of the annual budget circulated directly into it. Truly, the budget spent on public parks and beaches would be an absolute gamechanger for our country. It's one of the best, legal ways to inject taxpayer money into the economy while beautifying our country and promoting great work ethic. As Bahamians, we have to hold these entities accountable and ensure that we are getting what we need from them. Part of that is understanding how these governmental bodies can make a difference in the average Bahamian's life.
What do you think? Could hyperlocal investing through the Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority make a difference in your community? What would you have in your park if you had a say?
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