The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

A DILAPIDATED wooden structure in Centreville was demolished yesterday - another step in the drive to revitalise inner city communities.

It marked the continuance of Urban Renewal 2.0’s aim to rejuvenate city areas.

The structure in Thompson Lane had no complete roof or windows but was still home to 53-year-old Herman Bullard - a home he shared with an assortment of insects.

Inspector Ricardo Richardson, Commander of the initiative in that community, said although the demolition had not been the first in the area, his team was surprised to discover that someone had called the place home.

Mr Richardson said: “Since we came back into the community, we came across this place which we thought was just an abandoned building and then a neighbour told us that there was a man living inside. We made checks and found that he was living in there. The place is in a terrible condition to live in.

“When you are walking and you see things like that I mean it sends something through your whole body. I mean it makes you upset because it is hard to really believe that people are living in these conditions in this day and age in the Bahamas.”

The project, which has a budget of $25,000, will be undertaken by Inline Construction Company Ltd. They have agreed to rebuild the entire home, in four to six weeks. 

Director of the company Michael Jones said his team was aiming to make the home as modern as possible. He added that the home will be made hurricane ready.

“We just partnered with Urban Renewal to help out in the best way that we can to rectify this problem. This house is pretty shot. What we are going to have to do is start all over. It should be fairly decent,” Mr Jones said.

And although Mr Bullard was not on site to witness the demolition, his neighbours said that a blessing like this one, ‘was a long time coming.’

Sabrina Young, who lives just across from Mr Bullard, said: “It was very good and Urban Renewal did a very effective job with Herman. It makes me feel very good because of the condition he was in for a very long time - he was in a bad condition.”

She commended the Urban Renewal team for allowing actions to come before words.