Parties support plans for new dynamics in the historic city center
WILLEMSTAD - The business community, organizations and the government are working together to breathe new life into Punda. The parties symbolically signed the 'Pact for Punda' on Monday 6 December. When Willemstad will be on the UNESCO World Heritage List for 25 years in December next year, a large part of the actions should already have been carried out. The Pact was signed by, among others, the ministers Cijntje of Economic Development and Cooper of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning, Curaçao Tourist Board, DMO, investors, real estate owners, business owners and young people.
Pact for Punda was commissioned by Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB) and written by Castro Communicatie, the communication agency of founders Frits Huffnagel and Stefan de Bruijn. They spoke with dozens of stakeholders in June 2021 and made a compact advice, with 35 actions. Stefan de Bruijn: "Many improvements are possible in Punda and there is a lot of low-hanging fruit. We have formulated the advice in such a way that the first 25 actions can be ready by the time Willemstad has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List for 25 years."
Frits Huffnagel points out that it is important that those involved put their shoulders to the wheel: "This can be a great success if everyone really commits to it. Change in Punda is now necessary, according to everyone. The symbolic signature marks the moment to go from a good plan to a good implementation. We have a lot of confidence in that."
Hugo Clarinda of CTB: "We have had a lot of positive reactions to the clear advice that Castro has issued. The response from the government was also very positive. This could really be a turning point for Punda, just like we saw with Pietermaai before."
The main points of the Pact for Punda
• More homes in the city center, including above shops;
• The demolition of Cinelandia and the renovation of the old Plaza Hotel;
• Enforcement on dilapidated real estate and neglected objects;
• More attention for its own history and Papiamentu in public space;
• Bringing back free Wi-Fi;
• Information about UNESCO in public spaces and on buildings, using QR codes;
• Appointing a city manager who monitors compliance with the agreements;
• A pop-up museum, together with Dutch museums;
• Shortening the catering permit application period to a maximum of 6 months;
• Good signage;
• A disco in Punda;
• Low-traffic/car-free areas.
After December 2022, further action can be taken, including developing the areas around the Plaza Hotel and Cinelandia, lowering taxes, improving transport to Punda, creating a pedestrian boulevard between Punda and Pietermaai and making it more attractive to get funding for new initiatives.