In early December, when Canadian businessman and resort owner Dean Lettman banged his foot on a piece of steel protruding from a broken concrete curb wall — a common hazard at the Kingston Waterfront — he mused to himself “when are they gonna be fixing this place?”.

Fortuitously, his near miss happened a stone’s throw from the Ocean Boulevard offices of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), which cocoons an ambitious plan to lead the renaissance of Kingston Waterfront, the storied home of the world’s seventh largest natural harbour, connecting it to the historic Port Royal when completed.

The project, named Kingston Harbour Walk (KHW), is to be developed in three segments: Segment one — Kingston Pen Gully to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Building; Segment two — Rae Town to Harbour View; and Segment three — Harbour View to Port Royal. Segments one and two are being advanced with support from the Government of Jamaica and its international partners, namely the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The design for segment one is to be done under the Kingston Waterfront Improvement Project being implemented by Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) through loan funding from the World Bank, with the UDC as the lead implementing entity for the development of the public space.

The design for segment two is being done with funds from the GOJ and a grant from the CDB. The UDC will lead the implementation.

According to UDC Chair Norman Brown, “the revitalisation of Kingston’s waterfront is a cornerstone in [the corporation’s] vision for a sustainable and prosperous Jamaica”.

“This project is more than an investment in infrastructure; it’s an investment in the future of our people, fostering economic growth, social cohesion, and a renewed sense of national pride,” Brown said in a recent statement issued to the Jamaica Observer.

The design work for the project will get under way in 2025. Envisioned as a 25-kilometre linear park stretching from downtown Kingston to the historic town of Port Royal, the KHW is expected to be a “world-class, green and sustainable public space supported by a multiplicity of experiences to connect Jamaicans with Kingston’s coastline”.

According to the UDC, the development of the Harbour Walk “will serve as a catalyst for economic growth, social inclusion, and resilience”.

But that vision will be a hard sell to most of the Jamaicans and even tourists canvassed by the Sunday Observer during a recent visit to the area which, for decades, has provided solace to people from all walks of life as well as the odd dog and the random bird.

“We know how governments operate, especially prior to an election year, you know that people are always trying to up the ante when it comes to that season but I remember back in the 80s coming here as a tourist and seeing this waterfront; it was spectacular. I could walk down any one of those streets and it’s just like I’m downtown New York or in London,” Lettman, who is a resort and cafe owner in Parottee, St Elizabeth, told the Sunday Observer.

Firing questions at this reporter as to the scope, cost, and timeline for the project, Lettman has his own ideas about what it should entail to heighten its allure.

“I don’t know how much it will take but this is a diamond; are they going to have the ferry [service which once brought passengers between downtown Kingston and Port Royal] back in action, because they would have to. That would be a beautiful spectacle. It will happen in my lifetime, right?” he wanted to know.

“I would love this to be developed, but timeline they don’t have. We know they have timelines when they want to; once you don’t have a timeline, we know it’s going to be a long, bitter process, but at least there is something to look forward to, this place is fantastic,” he said.

Two Jamaicans, one a retiree and the other a government worker, who were among those relaxing under the shade of one of the many trees in the area were a bit harder to convince about the project coming to life.

“The amount a time I see people come measure up this place, only God can tell mi seh it a go do. Miss, yuh can’t believe it; they come and measure up and say this a go do and it still the same way. For a pretty little wata front like this, jus’ come here one Sunday and just look and see the amount a people, yuh would [be] surprised. Worst when Gloria’s [seafood eatery] in session on a Sunday and people come buy food. It’s a shame. “Yuh waan si di park in England how it pretty, oh God, man,” the retiree who preferred not to be identified said.

“Why wi keep on living in dreams, a donkey years this a talk bout. Over the years this shoulda done a million times because millions grant to do these, where all those money turn? We need to ask those questions. The questions people [are] to ask they not asking. Is not one party, is both party doing the same thing. When money grant to do anything, nobody knows where those money turn,” he continued.

“We only get promises. Place like this shouldn’t stay like this. The amount a people who come here, this place should a pretty, they are gazing, wasting time, trust mi. I go to England and come back here, nowhere nice like here, we only need the money, if we have the money we can live the best life,” he said confidently.

“If you check most places over the world, like Manhattan and so forth, we can have a similar pier like what happen elsewhere, because you have all the craft market; the craft market is there and they not making much money, it’s only the ROK Hotel that’s helping them out. They should do more for the people down here,” his sparring partner chimed in.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a pipe dream, but if you realise what the Government is doing, they are spending a lot of money doing other things, why not look down here, maybe this is the chance for them to come and do something down here, even a solar plant could come down here because down here ever sunny,” he mused.

A stone’s throw from the pair, a fisherman, who identified himself only as “Teacha”, while baiting and throwing his line told the Sunday Observer matter of a factly, “I don’t know, ennuh, let’s hope it happens and something bigger gwaan. We are here to see still, yuh know. Mi woulda like it done”.

That sentiment was shared by a pair of tourists relaxing in the shade of a small palm several feet away who were in the area for the 2024 Kingston Biennial put on by the National Gallery of Jamaica.

“We are from New York and Baltimore. My parents are from here. I believe things when I see them, it’s a lovely idea, as long as they are taking care of the people who are here and as long as they are getting the benefits from whatever development happens and no one is displaced or harmed in that process,” visual artist Lehna Huie told the Sunday Observer.

“I am enjoying the space now, coming here every day on breaks, it’s really nice. I spent a lot of time coming here growing up, always enjoying the space and coming to the waterfront. I will believe it when I see it and would love to see it when it comes,” she said with a smile.

“I think when it comes to the Government it’s show and tell; I know a lot of times locals don’t benefit. So it would be really amazing if they are thought of first. I pray it happens, and that it all benefits the locals who put their blood, sweat, and tears in this land,” Huie’s artistic counterpart Michelle Blu commented.

For Kingston Craft Market vendor Kay-Ana, the improvements done to that space are a testament that the UDC can carry out the promised rebirth.

“It already looks nice; for me this didn’t look like it does until they decided to redevelop it and have a craft market. This is beautiful and making it into a park will bring more of a sense where people can come and sit; you know, sometimes people want spaces where they can feel safe because downtown has an image and you realise the hotel is now here, so it would be an awesome change. Then you have food and you can look at craft items and purchase and so on. It will be an improvement for everybody,” she said optimistically.

According to UDC General Manager Robert Honeyghan, “the redevelopment of Kingston’s waterfront is not just about transforming physical space — it’s about reigniting the heartbeat of our city and creating a dynamic environment where history, culture and community converge. This new waterfront is a chance for us to finally have a place where we can come together, celebrate our culture, and feel proud of our city”.

The vision for the KHW linear park is that it will enable and re-energise the broader redevelopment of adjacent blocks and areas along the harbour, between Ocean Boulevard and Port Royal Street, Rae Town and Harbour View to Port Royal. The thrust for redevelopment will be flexible, with a mix of potential scenarios, including improvement and renovation of current real estate; with some higher-density construction that will transform and revitalise the area, introducing more commercial, residential and entertainment spaces.

Kingston’s waterfront is steeped in history. The wider city’s grid plan, established in 1702, traces its origins to the original European settlements. The streets, laid out in a rigid north-south, east-west orientation, have seen centuries of change — from the booming days of sugar and rum trade to the challenges of post-Independence urban development. Yet, despite its historical significance, downtown Kingston has struggled to fulfil its potential as a cultural and economic hub.

The 1960s and 70s saw the first major attempt to modernise the waterfront, with the creation of Ocean Boulevard and the construction of office buildings and hotels. However, the hoped for revival of the central business district never fully materialised. Subsequent efforts in the 1990s focused on creating an institutional framework to attract private investment, but these, too, fell short of transforming the area.

Today, Kingston’s waterfront remains a largely untapped resource, comprising only a few residential buildings and irregular cultural activities with the biggest success being the annual fireworks on the Waterfront which, since 1999, has been attracting thousands of people who welcome the new year.

Canadian businessman and resort owner Dean Lettman gives the Sunday Observer his take about plans by the Urban Development Corporation to revitalise Kingston Waterfront linking it to historic Port Royal. (Joseph Wellington)

A section of the waterfront in downtown Kingston. (Joseph Wellington)

Fisherman “Teacha” (left) casts his line hoping to make a haul for the day as he has dozens of times before from this perch along the Kingston Harbour Waterfront in downtown Kingston. (Joseph Wellington)

The Kingston Craft Market, one of the few business entities at Kingston Waterfront in downtown Kingston (Joseph Wellington)

The Kingston Craft Market at the Kingston Waterfront in downtown Kingston (Joseph Wellington)