$40-Million Transformation Project for Canterbury

The Community of Canterbury in Montego Bay, St. James, is slated to benefit from a multimillion-dollar transformation project aimed at strengthening the community’s resilience and promoting sustainable urbanisation.

The approximately $40-million initiative, dubbed the Canterbury Community Development Project, was officially launched on Thursday (June 15) at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre.

It is being made possible through a collaboration involving the St. James Municipal Corporation, United Nations (UN)-Habitat, and the Sandals Foundation.

At the heart of the initiative is the creation of a multipurpose community centre and a vibrant public space at the entrance of the community, which will be designed using UN-Habitat Global Public Space tool ‘Block by Block’.

In giving the keynote address, State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Homer Davis, said the transformative initiative aims to revitalise the community.

He said the area is enjoying years of peace, noting that the initiative is an answer to longstanding calls from residents for investment and development programmes.

“Better things will be happening in Canterbury, and for this I must commend the team from UN-Habitat, the St. James Municipal Corporation, Sandals Foundation and all the other stakeholders… who are working with this team to transform Canterbury into a model community,” he said.

The multipurpose community centre will serve as a hub for educational, recreational, and social activities, providing a space where residents of all ages can come together to learn, connect, and engage in various programmes and initiatives.

The public space will be equipped with a combination of fixed and flexible seating.

As part of the initiative, nine participatory community development workshops will be held between June 14 and June 28 to engage community representatives, particularly youth groups, in the design and construction of the public space and the community centre.

For his part, Mayor of Montego Bay and Chairman of the St. James Municipal Corporation, Councillor Leeroy Williams, described the project as a “game changer” for the community and by extension the resort city.

“Canterbury, and in particular the city of Montego Bay, will become a better place because of the outcomes of this project. Canterbury is one of the 25 inner-city communities in Montego Bay, and I am sure that this project will not only change the negative stigma attached to the community but change the culture of everyone there,” he said.

Executive Director of Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, said that the organisation is pleased to partner on a project that will address the evolving needs of Canterbury while promoting sustainable practices and fostering a sense of belonging among residents.

“This project has the potential to positively transform the Canterbury community into the vision that its residents want it to be. For us at the Sandals foundation, this project represents the hope for Canterbury residents to feel supported by each other – an opportunity to build a strong sense of togetherness,” she said.

Architect and Urban Planner, Participatory Upgrading Programme, UN-Habitat, Anna Wahlen, expressed confidence that the development will enhance quality of life and create livelihood opportunities for residents.

She said a participatory approach is being employed in executing the project to ensure that no one gets left behind.

“The inhabitants of Canterbury are the experts, and with this project we’re establishing the public-private partnership framework to engage all parties from the initial participatory design to the construction and management of the centre in public space,” she noted.

The project is estimated to be completed within a year.