Town Clerk proposes replacing Mackenzie market with modern shopping mall

…says structure could eliminate issue of roadside vending

As the mining town of Linden in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) continues to witness growth, Town Clerk Lennox Gasper has recently shared a proposal which will see the decades old Mackenzie Market being demolished and replaced with a mega mall facility.
The Town Clerk made this proposal during a recent edition of the Municipal Matters programme where he spoke about the significant grown that is currently being seen within the region.

Gasper highlighted that with improved road infrastructure and the construction of the new US$35 million MacKenzie-Wismar Bridge the mining town and the region at large will be met with a plethora of opportunities that lindeners can tap into.
However, to fully capitalize off of this traffic the town clerk stressed that several reforms must be made. One idea which the town clerk proposed was to demolish the decades old Mackenzie Market to establish a mall facility.
“And well, yes, the recommendation of the mall. I did posit to the council, I remember sometime back, that entire McKenzie Market the entire McKenzie Market can be bulldozed and they can give temporary stay or place right now, we have the retrieved ground, but that’s just my idea. Council will then need to sit down.”

To facilitate this idea gasper revealed that approximately 2000 stall holders would have to be temporarily relocated. “But to have it bulldozed for example, I was told that we have about 2,000 stalls between the silver market, the old market going off to the river, the riverbank, from my courts and from the actual where the silver market is.”
These persons he noted can be placed in several locations such as the retrieve ground which will ensure that their livelihoods can continue with little to no disruptions.
Moreover, speaking about the layout of the proposed mall, Gasper highlighted that once completed market vendors can return to the area where they usually ply their trade. However, there will be a well-planned out design for the additional floors of the facility which will make the shopping experience for person seamless.
“But the market now you go up three, four stories let’s say four stories hypothetically. The first floor where you’re driving in, you leave that for all fruits vendors, meat, fish, greens, provision, everybody downstairs that dealing with provision of whatever and then your first floor, you probably could deal with clothing, shoes, all the persons with cosmetics can also work along there.”
Gasper added, “Now at the third floor, there is where you probably have those restaurants, the fourth floor would be like a roof garden to the top and on the fourth floor, you got all the bars, all the drinks, but persons could do a little barbecue, a shish kebab corner. You got a grill and you’re able to look over into the river or choose to look over in the town.”
This idea he noted would not only enhance the aesthetics of the town and improve the shopping experience for residents and visitors but could also eliminate road side vending within the town.
“Imagine if we are to do that. I am certain we would not have any space for anybody on the council’s reserve along the road that we are experiencing right now in terms of encumbering. All they need to do now is get into the mall the Linden Mall, a massive structure of that nature.”
However, to make this proposal to become a reality Gasper revealed that a plan would have to be drafted and extensive consultations would also have to be held with stakeholders such as vendors that would have to be relocated to facilitate construction works.