Kingston – the entertainment centre
Kingston is well known for a lot of things. This article will focus on its cultural assets, among those are music and sport. I did a series of tweets asking for a Night Manager for the city, which I proposed to come from the Mayor’s Office.
The reviews were mixed, but mostly positive; actually a few folks I know could do the job quite easily.
The city is already carved out in spaces based on the personality of downtown, cross roads and New Kingston (uptown for the sake of my colleague Earl Moxam). This is so as I believe the city could benefit from activities related to the energy each area offers.
Any day of the week you are in the city, there are so many things you can enjoy from the food, festivities and frolic. You could also meet up with an international personality on the art walk to another at Weddi-Wednesday celebrating a birth month stop.
Downtown is carving out its own taste with art, music and creative spaces. There are food services available in and around along with the ROK Hotel to add flavor to the space.
Moving up to Cross Roads with the cinema – there is an abundance of hustle and bustle, but the defined personality is not quite there. I propose what I call the “street food place” – this is where you should be able to get any type of jerk, baked, and fried food you want. An example is a dumpling shop.
Then to New Kingston, a business centre, but with strips of roadways that I believe could be converted to wine and dine spaces at least three days a week. The defined areas are south on Knutsford Boulevard from Starbucks to Burger King; and west along Dominica Drive, from Sagicor to Wray and Nephew.
The idea is four seaters with umbrellas with a delectable offering of the best wines with light food backdropped with music from saxophone, violins and/or a cello.
Music would be in all the spaces… at all times.
The Night Manager’s role would include, but not be limited to:
- Acting as liaison between the entertainment industry (music, art, dance, food) and consumers
- Organizing activities to drive economic activity
- Creating and developing zones for specific activities for each arm of the industry
- Creating and managing database of industry participants
- Making sure targets are hit.
- Training of staff and service providers
- Dealing with customer enquiries
It could also be a strategic way for us to clean up the city.
There is enough parking facilities for park and walk and the stewards who could be in uniform, would be encouraged to treat patrons in a cordial way. The JTB, TPDCo, TEF could expand the Team Jamaica training for a diverse set of service providers.
The PSOJ, JCC, JMEA all have committees that support economic activity so a small team of five could be attached to the Mayor’s office for oversight.
The roll out should be spearheaded by the Mayor’s office with the relevant agencies to support the effort.
What I see happening is when the business folks go to work in suits, in the evening they peel off the jackets for an evening out. The centres can do the same.
ABOUT KINGSTON: Kingston was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Music in December 2015 and this was an important catalytic moment in the development of the city. It indicated that its infrastructure, cultural assets, including regulatory framework and venues were heading in the right direction.
CaroleBeckford 