by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 1, 2024
Belize City’s cherished Constitution Park, a landmark with over 36 years of history, reopens after an extensive renovation. The Belize Tourism Board (BTB), led by Hon. Anthony Mahler, and the Belize City Council, under the stewardship of His Worship, Bernard Wagner, celebrated the park’s transformation today with a special ceremony.
Located at the intersection of Cemetery Road and Johnson Street, Constitution Park has been modernized while retaining its historical essence.
The renovation includes security cameras, Wi-Fi access, a vendor booth, open spaces, and an emphasis on greenery, transforming the park into a creative and recreational haven.
The park’s standout feature is its elevated center stage, designed in an amphitheater style, creating an ideal venue for musical performances and art exhibitions. The multiple seating areas cater to gatherings, promoting a sense of community.
But this makeover is just a phase of what is to come for the park. As February begins, the BTB plans to enhance the park further by partnering with the Institute of Creative Art. This collaboration will infuse the park with color and creativity.
“… it is our fervent desire and hope that we can have our young artists, our young creative minds, our young musicians, poetry makers to be able to populate and make this place their home,” shared Josue Carballo, Director of Industry Development at BTB.
“This is a way how you build a community. A community is not just about the cement streets and the picking up of the garbage and the cleaning of the drains, it’s about having spaces such as these where families … the family unit … very important … and communities are able to come together so we can enjoy good music, right? We could eat good Belizean food; we could have arts and craft,” expressed Mayor Wagner.
“We want this to be an area for our people to congregate and have some decent fun,” said Minister Mahler, shedding light on the collaborative efforts behind the park’s transformation in an interview. “We want to showcase the south side of Belize to the entire country, and that there are good things on the south side for us to be able to enjoy.”
The park’s redesign intentionally steers away from traditional playground elements like swings and slides, focusing instead on creating a relaxing and safe environment for socializing, complete with Wi-Fi and security features.
Being just a stone’s throw away from the bus terminal, the park is set to welcome numerous residents as well as tourists, given that the park sits on the street that leads into the city’s commercial hub.
Notably, the last time the park received renovations was back in 2006.