WILLEMSTAD - All important stakeholders in Punda would do well to sit down as soon as possible to conclude a Pact for Punda. In this Pact, the parties must record the efforts they will make to breathe new life into Punda, the historic city center of Willemstad. Castro Communicatie advises this on behalf of Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB).
How do we breathe new life into Punda? CTB submitted this question to Castro Communicatie. The office of founders Stefan de Bruijn and Frits Huffnagel spoke with dozens of real estate owners, investors, residents, entrepreneurs and the government in Curaçao in June. The quick scan shows that many improvements are possible in Punda. "There's a lot of low-hanging fruit," said Castro founder Frits Huffnagel. "The hidden gold that is still in Punda can be unlocked and supplemented. For this it is necessary that everyone puts their weight behind it together and does not continue to look at each other in a wait-and-see or even distrustful manner."
Castro founder Stefan de Bruijn: "In December 2022 Willemstad will be on the UNESCO World Heritage List for 25 years. That is an important moment for Punda. Our advice is structured in such a way that the new government, together with investors, owners, residents and entrepreneurs can take it to battle immediately. The first 25 actions can be ready by the celebration of 25 years of UNESCO."
Hugo Clarinda, Vice President of CTB: "We have asked Castro to map out what should be done and how this can best be tackled. We are very pleased with the clear advice, which we are now going to discuss with the new government. We hope that we will soon see similar good developments in Punda as we have seen in Pietermaai in recent years."
The main points of the Pact for Punda:
Castro Communicatie proposes to convene all parties to come to a Pact for Punda with short-term and long-term actions. In the short term, this includes:
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 our own history and Papiamento 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 popup museum, together with Dutch museums;
Shortening the catering permit application period to a maximum of 6 months;
The advent of good signage;
A disco in Punda;
A pilot with low-traffic/car-free areas.
After December 2, 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 obtain funding for new initiatives.