A Modern, Smart, and Safe Parking Option
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Nov. 13, 2024
After months of renovating the NICH parking lot, the Belize City Council reopened the lot, which has been renamed the “William David Fonseca Parking Facility”, on Wednesday, November 13, in honor of the first elected mayor of Belize City.
The new name of the parking lot – which is located at the corner of Regent and Bishop Streets in downtown Belize City – honors the late Fonseca, who first served as mayor of Belize City under the People’s United Party (PUP) in 1992. David, as he was known to most people, served for two consecutive terms as the old capital’s first elected mayor. He passed away at his home in Belize City in 2015, one day before his 61st birthday.
“I want to thank you, Mayor, for christening this area as the William David Fonseca Parking Facility. I want to thank you that his name will be joined with yours in memory of this situation here as we christen this place,” said Yolanda Fonseca, widow of Fonseca.
“It’s important to understand that had David still been with us, he wouldn’t have wanted all of this type of excitement, you know. He would have been one to say, ‘No, no, no, don’t name it after me; name it after somebody else.’ That was the type of individual that he was. But we have to acknowledge the work that he did, and we have to acknowledge the work that other members of the Fonseca family did,” said Hon. Henry Charles Usher, area representative of Fort George.
The modern parking facility can hold a maximum of 34 cars and there are security cameras installed at every turn, giving drivers a sense of security when they leave their cars there.
“This new facility developed by your Belize City Council [symbolizes] where we are headed as a city and country. It forms part of the broader urban planning strategy that the Belize City Council has tirelessly worked to advance,” said His Worship, Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City. “By developing facilities like these, we are breathing new life into this area, and creating an environment that fosters economic growth and urban renewal … This is one of many initiatives the council is undertaking to ensure that Belize City remains at the forefront of modernization,” he added.
Additionally, the parking space will alleviate one of the difficulties that Belize City faces, which is the lack of availability of adequate parking space.
“As we all know, downtown parking can be difficult, whether you’re trying to visit a business, attend an event, or simply run errands. With the growing number of businesses and visitors, having a reliable parking solution is essential. This parking lot will provide a safe, convenient place for people to park, so that they can enjoy everything Belize City has to offer, without the stress of having to find any space on Regent Street,” said Usher.
Mayor Wagner highlighted that the council has identified 40 abandoned lots throughout the city, and is planning to acquire them from the Ministry of Natural Resources with the hopes of renovating and utilizing them.
“We did an exercise where we identified 40 abandoned lots in the city, and we sent that to the ministry to have them see how they could acquire those abandoned lots, to turn them from just being nuisance to society and turn them into productive spaces. If we can turn abandoned lots all across the city into smart parking facilities, community parks, community playgrounds, and community student hubs … this is the sort of rejuvenation we need in our city,” he said.
The following are the fees that will be charged for use of the parking spaces: 75 cents for 15 minutes, $1.50 for 30 minutes, $3.00 for an hour. Use of the lot will be free on the weekends.
Mayor Wagner noted that the Belize City Council spent close to 400,000 dollars to carry out the renovation and is expecting to see a return within two and a half years.