Belize City Dedicates Downtown Parking Lot in Honor of Former Mayor William Fonseca

A major parking lot in downtown Belize City has been dedicated to the memory of the late former Belize City Mayor, William David Fonseca.  A special dedication ceremony took place this morning on Regent Street just behind the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts.  The initiative was announced months ago by Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner, and this morning the official renaming of the lot was done.  Fonseca was the city’s first elected Mayor who died nine years ago.  According to Mayor Wagner, the refurbished parking lot is equipped with digital features, security cameras, and parking attendants, and is expected to earn the council additional revenues.  

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City: “We were very proactive in getting this facility completed. I know it has been a long, drawn-out process, but we wanted to get it right. It will enhance off street parking in the downtown area. It’s a safe area. It is manned by cameras, fully automated, all the sort of modern smart solutions are integrated into the system so it should enhance and the parking meters, because it’s two sorts of parking you have you have off street and on street and so the parking meters really facilitate on street parking and this would enhance off street parking. People visiting areas all across the city this is our urban setting and they are always driving around looking for parking, safe parking areas. People have that appetite. Romax parking lot has been doing great in this area. And so this will enhance Romax. There’s always need for more parking. And I see where this first model will be expanded into all across the city. Court system has worked along with us. Brodies right here has worked along with us. The banking sector they are on board with it. We have calls from many of the business sector really wanting to purchase cards for their staff. So it’s a need in the downtown area.”

Area Representative for the Fort George Division, Henry Charles Usher, noted that the parking facility is one of many steps being taken to revitalize the city and improve its economic activity. 

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Constitutional and Political Reform: “I think it’s all part of the rejuvenation of downtown Belize City that you’ve seen as a main focus of the Belize City Council since being elected in 2018. This area, Regent Street, Albert Street, was once a vibrant area with shopping, dining, movie theaters, culture with Bliss. We need to bring back that type of atmosphere, that type of community. initiative and parking is just a small part of it but it’s certainly part of it. Most Belizeans now have a vehicle and they want to be able to park their vehicle in a secure location with the cameras that are here. The fact that this is a 24-hour facility it will certainly encourage persons to come here and to enjoy all downtown Belize City has to offer. We are seeing the government pass certain legislation to encourage MSMEs, encourage businesses and I think that is a good first step but really it’s about directing people downtown as well. You have to be able to say, “visitors come and see what all we have downtown.” We have to be able to have the facilities, the attractions that people want to come to. Certainly, we would want the Bliss to always be filled when there’s an event happening there. The commercial sector is going to do their part because they realize that if more persons come down there they will have more customers. So I think it’s a community effort. It’s a joint effort and you’ll see this council really focus on bringing back police into downtown.”

William David Fonseca entered electoral politics as a Belize City Councillor candidate on the People’s United Party slate in 1988. He passed away on April 30, 2015, in his Belize City home.