As part of the ongoing effort to revitalize San Nicolas, Prime Minister Mike Eman visited Bernardstraat, where technicians from N.V. Elmar have begun the preparations needed to install Christmas lighting in the area.
The work forms part of the Bernardstraat revitalization project, which for nearly six months has counted on the participation of volunteers who every Saturday roll up their sleeves to paint and repair houses along the street. According to Prime Minister Eman, the initiative is not only a government project but an effort by the citizens of San Nicolas themselves, supported by volunteers from different parts of Aruba.
During the visit, the Prime Minister said the government had appealed to DOW and N.V. Elmar so that San Nicolas would be among the first areas to receive Christmas decoration and lighting this year — in line with the attention the government is giving to neighborhood and city-center revitalization.
Technical work done in days, switch-on October 14
Haime Vingal, coordinator of the Ministry of General Affairs, explained that N.V. Elmar is in charge of the first technical phase of the work. This includes adapting light poles and installing the necessary electrical material. After Elmar finishes its part, DOW will follow with the connection of the decorations and photocells, so the lights can switch on automatically.
According to Vingal, the technical work should be completed within a few days. The goal is to hold a special moment on October 14 in the Bernardstraat area, near Chocolate City, to officially switch on the Christmas lighting together with the community.
Prime Minister Eman stressed that the initiative on Bernardstraat is much more than Christmas decoration. It forms part of a broader effort to bring life and activity back to the neighborhood and to strengthen the sense of community.
More projects underway in San Nicolas
The Bernardstraat project is one of several projects underway in San Nicolas. Among others, the government has projects for an MFA (multifunctional accommodation) in San Nicolas, the renovation of various areas in the city center, the asphalting of different streets and other infrastructure investments.
The Prime Minister said the effort to revitalize neighborhoods is not limited to downtown Oranjestad. San Nicolas also has an important place in the projects under development to give the city and its neighborhoods a new impulse.
Bernardstraat is an example of how government, public companies and the community can join hands. With volunteers painting houses every Saturday and now the installation of Christmas lighting, the street continues to change step by step.
Source: 24ora
