Four bus sheds, powered by solar panels and equipped with LED lighting, were yesterday commissioned in South Ruimveldt and they are expected to generate revenue to assist in funding community projects, which are being undertaken by the South Ruimveldt Community Management Group.
The bus sheds, constructed at a cost of over $2 million, are the result of a collaboration between Pyramid Shelters and the community development group, with assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank-funded Basic Needs Trust Fund.
At a simple commissioning ceremony yesterday, Bruce Haynes, Chairman of the group, said it undertook the project since it noticed the needs of citizens. “As we work in the community, we have noticed the needs, there are mothers and children, pregnant women, [and] elderly citizens using the roads and sometimes the rain falls [and] they have nowhere to shelter or they walk and they need to catch their breath but there is nowhere to relax. We saw the need for this,” Haynes explained.
The bus sheds are strategically placed within the community at Plaza Bridge, Tucville Bridge, Johnny P Supermarket and Last Entrance.
According to Haynes, they have a flexible arrangement with Pyramid Shelters, which helps to solicit advertisements for the sheds. He explained that since the group does not have the expertise to generate the advertisements, Pyramid Shelters would be securing the advertisements and a percentage of the revenue generated will go to community projects and maintenance of the bus sheds. “We have a neat arrangement. Since we don’t have means to generate the advertisements. They are doing it,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan, in brief remarks, praised the group for the initiative and challenged the community to work to make South Ruimveldt a model community of the country.
He said that with infrastructural works to come, including the rehabilitation of community grounds and roads, cleaning of drains and the establishment of a multi-purpose civic centre, there is potential for the community to be a model. He also urged citizens to desist from vandalising the sheds.
The bus sheds will be monitored by members of the community policing group to prevent vandalism.
The sheds were constructed by Industrial Fabrication (InFab) Inc based on designs by Pyramid Shelters.
Meanwhile, Kwame Mentore, Director of Pyramid Shelters, said his company redesigned the sheds to fit the budget of the group. The size in the designs have changed from 12x5ft to 10x5ft. Mentore also pointed out that they would be rolling out a new design in the near future. “The base is concrete and the structure steel with polycarbonate walls and corrugated roofing material,” Mentore explained.
Mentore also mentioned that the company is currently conducting tests to enable Wi-Fi at the bus sheds through the Government’s E-Governance programme, which he said would be a plus for companies that are advertising.
Additionally, he said that next year the company would be seeking to erect 20 bus sheds on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara.
Mentore stated that the company has not recorded any form of vandalism since they have erected the bus sheds.
