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New BTL Park Project Slowed By Rains
posted (December 31, 2013)
And in our last item from the Mayor, he also gave an update on the progress of BTL Park. City residents were expecting to use the renovated park for the City Council's Christmas Concert, which would have also served as its reopening ceremony.

But, the rain made sure that didn't happen - and from the looks of things, it won't be happening anytime soon - as finishing works on the park have just about ground to a halt due to the soaked grounds.

Today, Bradley told the media that BTL Park is 95% completed, but already in use:

Mayor Darrell Bradley
"Yesterday I had a tour of BTL Park, it is about 95% completed. they are putting down some trees, they are putting down the last layering of sand, they are finalizing the paint of a few of the remaining kiosks and that work should be finished by the middle of January and we are planning a soft launch. By soft launch, what we will do is that we will just have a ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the park."

"Many of the vendors are already in the park, for example, Mr. Ferguson, who operates the photography booth at the park. Mr. Wagner is outside the country at this moment, but his ice cream parlor is ready to open. Many of them are gradually going in. The City is giving each of them a $1,500 grant to allow them to make the transition into the new park and we are encouraging them to open as soon as possible."

"We are planning to have a larger launch on Valentine's Day and that's not going to be tied to them moving into the park, but we are planning in having a public concert similar to what we did on December 20th and to invite members of the public to just enjoy the new BTL Park. Everything is on schedule. We were delayed because of the rains. By the middle of January the park will be fully accessible to members of the public."

"I want to add at this point that members of the public are already using it; the track around the park to exercise. They are already accessing the benches, the businesses that are already open in there. It will be 100% complete and fully accessible to the public by the 15th of January."

International Environments Limited - which also did Battlefield Park - is the contractor working on BTL Park.

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