Those who pass by the Cath�drale Square, Port Louis have been witnessing the metamorphose of the famous “Parking Cath�drale” to a beautiful green space, which is nearly completed.
Since a few weeks, the metallic sheets around the construction site have been removed, revealing one of the rare gardens of Port Louis.
Here are a few additional pictures which have been shot today.
Where is the parking?
But a big question arises here…
Where will these (nearly?) 100 cars be parked, now that the space has been converted to a garden?
At first, I heard that an underground parking would be constructed, along with this garden, but after a quick look today, I can’t see any entrance to this underground parking lol!
Would not it be wiser if they had invested into this parking?
The Capital is already lacking loads of parking problems, even the fare (at the Luna Park-besides BAI) has recently seen a rise from Rs20/hr to Rs50/hr!
Just imagine, more than 100% increase for a parking space for 1 hour!
Port Louis in empty mode
Finally, a last pic…taken at 16hrs today.
Port Louis practically empty since most of the offices have been closed early today to avoid any (possible) huge traffic jams due to the special road arrangements made for the arrival of the president of the people’s[…]..
However you will have to wait for some years before getting the shades out of the trees!
Let them grow first!
Yashvinblogs 
Any idea why they stopped construction of the underground parking? Parking facilities such as that at Caudan are becoming necessary as the amount of vehicles entering Port Louis is increasing every day. Surely, Cathedral being such a great location, that would have been a really profitable venture!
Huhu!
The Hu has cleared the roads! 😀
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Big mistake from this government and surely the MUN of pl neways..
The parking was such a big and ambitious project.. but they didnt have the guts in the end.
The church said that the one giving the land at first said that , they always wanted a nice garden infront of the church.
and the initial plan was to give them their garden .. with a parking underground.. finally thers no parking :(( or mite be they found skeletons while digging a bit !! like the one found when digging hawkers’ palace !! :S
lolz !! that one would make a nice article :))
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Lol that’s cool, next time I go to KFC I can sit and eat in the garden 😉
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@sjdvda : dont forget your umbrella…
No facility for shading available yet 😉
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I was there today, indeed very nice place 🙂
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Nice gardens,I guess more attractive for the tourists but does not solve the parking situation. My guess is that the Port-Louis traffic strategy has changed. Could it be that the future strategy is delocalisation? i.e. move certain offices away from the capital like Ebene and other regions so disgorging the city of some of the traffic.
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The parking project was cancelled last year around feb (if i remember correctly). there was a deadline set for the start of this project, but was not met.
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I must say that they have put rather a lot of time to make that garden…guess its not the fault of the workers but that of the tools that were given to them..i think the MUN must review the tools assigned to its workers……concerning the underground parking i think that many people were waiting impatiently for it but many like me are now disappointed 😦
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Don’t tell me they ate the parking money! ! !
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Nice pics, thanx for posting.
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Great idea to only have a garden and scrap the parking project. The Cathedral who has been one of the oldest buildings in Port Louis would be much better with greenery around.
The Underground Parking was finally drop out as it did not make sense to spend to much in doing only an underground parking they would have never recovered their money. Those involved on the project wanted to have a multi-storeyed building in front of the Cathedral meant only for Parking. The Church did not like the idea as The Catherdrale would have not been visible anymore.
Anyway Its better like that. For all those who are complaining about lack of Parking space and Parking Prices going up… Well come to Port Louis by bus or car pooling. It will save you lots and will do good to all.
p.s Hope they charge a levy to get in Port Louis soon if travelling by car.
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Bhooks said :
Very true… and i can’t believe that in 2009 SOME people are complaining about
(a) having a GARDEN instead of a PARKING LOT…
(b) the municipality not funding a parking that would have brought POLLUTION and MORE TRAFFIC JAM
We can’t be irresponsible in such a time where everyday we’re feeling the consequences of using non-sustainable/non environmentally friendly energy sources.
SOME PEOPLE JUST DON’T LEARN
For environment sake, do we need to arrive at a point where cars are not allowed in PL anymore? (Like the city of Paris want to do)
B.
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Who fucking cares about the environment in Mauritius… least of all the gov – refer to coal-fired power station… 😦
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Cool, you can now have your lunch in d garden while watching d birds flying here and there :p
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carrotmadman6 is one among others who does not care. Be certain that others do.
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carrotmadman6 said:
If you “f*ck*ng” don’t care about the environment of your country and the health of your fellow brothers and sisters, then i guess you should be among those emigrating
B.
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The garden makes a beautiful sight, no doubt ! but I kinda like the old parking space too :P:P
When you looked at it from the sky, seeing a pattern of cars lined diagonally, that was artistic in a way…haha !
Well anyway, I guess we should laud this attempt to bring some more greenery in this overly-concrete Port-Louis. I hope this little paradise survive the exhaust fumes and oven-like temperature of the Capital. I live in PL too and I dare say it’s quite an ordeal not to roast in this hell everyday.
Some small palm trees were planted all around the Emmanuel Anquetil Building and they are already withering (Heat ? lack of watering ? Pollution ? Or more concrete around than enough soil with minerals ?. May the new little paradise in front of the Cathedral be spared !
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nice, i can time even more time enjoying KFC while having a nice view.
As for the parking, it would have been cool to have an underground parking.. mais bon, toujours, politik moris! bien bizarre.
mo rapel 1 fois, kan mo ti zenfant lekol, dans 5eme, gouvernment ti mette 1 paneau ki li p coummence 1 projet “public swimming pool at mare d’albert”.
I had hopes that when i’ll be in std 6 i’ll be able to have a swim there… ahhh… little did i know that i will see that project become a reality only when i got in my first year of univ!
Yuuki, its mostly pollution, heat, and the lack of ventillation… plants that get lots of sunlight tends to require lots of carbon dioxide, now if there’s no ventillation, the carbon dioxide around the leaves are already used up and not renewed immediately. The plant is then “stressed”. Also the land there :p i can imagine how dry and arid it is.
I hope that one day we can have a nice place with nice shade there… without pimps and thieves hiding in bushes.
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“Very true… and i can’t believe that in 2009 SOME people are complaining about
(a) having a GARDEN instead of a PARKING LOT…
(b) the municipality not funding a parking that would have brought POLLUTION and MORE TRAFFIC JAM”
@ bernardo.. u live in port louis ??
I have never heard any port louis citizen complain about pollution !! .. guess its normal for us .. !! .. i cant see in that case why u complaining against a parking lot in portlouis in the event u dont live here !!
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@All:
The inauguration ceremony for the the Cathedrale garden will be held on the 24th February 2009.
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do you have the photos before the garden was implemented?
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Unfortunately no. I did a quick Google search and did not find none. A pity that I did not shoot the ‘before’ picture. And damn, I worked in Port Louis at that time
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