Residents across the territory will have the final say on the design that will be chosen for the new West End Ferry Terminal.
Premier Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley made the disclosure on Friday.
He said his government decided to conduct a poll among residents on which design they prefer built in the West End community.
“The Minister of Communications and Works and the RDA are basically reintroducing the project to the community. Right now they’re asking persons to vote on which design they prefer. Obviously, under the previous premier, there was a discussion about one particular design. We basically opened back up that conversation about the designs that the person’s may favor and then once we’ve selected a design, we can move forward,” he stated.
Dr. Wheatley who is also the Minister of Finance said the monies for the project have already been approved.
He said once the design has been chosen the next step will commence in quick succession.
“We have I believe probably somewhere around 11/12 million dollars available through Caribbean Development Bank for that project. So we have funding available, we have designs and as soon as the design is selected, we can move forward,” Premier Wheatley stated.
According to the Recovery and Development Agency, residents will have three options to choose from.
Futuristic and Organic Design
Design A is labeled ‘Futuristic and Organic’ and has at least six pros listed for the design.
These include: having a modern façade, which allows integration of innovative hurricane prevention and flood protection measures; maximized solar panel areas on the roof and the façade for energy harvesting and roof shading; Sophisticated and flexible façade solution – open and closed – for two types of weather; the option of having the façade opened and closed, depending on the type of weather; conventional construction materials and methods such as reinforced concrete beams, columns, slabs for the superstructure will be used; and 2300 m² of space for solar panels.
The disadvantages for Design A include the costs associated with the construction, which are higher in comparison to the other two designs; and import reliance on a number of the construction elements such as hurricane-proof glazing and shutters, which may require external subcontractors.
Classic Modern Design
Design B is labeled ‘Classic Modern’ and has four pros listed.
These include a functional and efficient façade layout with conventional solutions; the option of having solar panels installed on the roof; a double-layered façade that provides shadow for the glazing behind; and 1200m² of space for solar panels.
The two main cons include less area for solar panel installation and no “Double Function” – open and closed for different weather scenarios.
West Indies Design
The third option is a more traditional design which is called ‘West Indies’, and has just as many pros as cons.
The main pros include a façade design that reflects the local vernacular building tradition of the West Indies which can be easily built by local workers and 1600m² of space for solar panels.
Some of the cons include a lot of dead space under the roof with no natural light; the concerns around the traditional character of the building being obstructed with the installation of solar panels, no “Double Function”, and less resilient that the previous two options.