THE entrance to the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay will soon be getting a much-needed facelift. The project is being facilitated by a deal brokered with Peoples’ Hardware Plumbing & Tiles and the St James Parish Council, which runs the facility.

Supervisor at the hardware store, Keisha Hepburn, this week handed over a supply of paint to market manager Lancelot Lindo.

With the help of the private sector, the St James Parish Council’s commercial services unit has formulated an innovative approach to upgrade the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay.

Under the plan, which begins on April 26, businesses are encouraged to donate supplies needed for the upgrading in exchange for advertising space on the market’s walls.

“The market has over 10,000 people there on any given weekend and it is prime advertising space,” said head of the commercial services unit, Hayden Marks.

Peoples’ Hardware Plumbing & Tiles this week donated $17,000 worth of paint that will be used to paint the front walls of the market.

In exchange, they will get advertising space on the facility’s wall for one year. Their sign should be mounted by May 17.

According to Marks, there will be similar deals made with other businesses, but all ads have to be approved by the council. The facelift that is expected to stem from the involvement of the private sector is just one part of the upgrading of the market as, according to Marks, funds are to be allocated via the Inter-American Bank in this financial year.

But because there is no clear indication of just when these funds will be available, the CSU has started the process with input from the private sector. The council will supply the labour needed for the upgrading process.