Barra revitalization unveiled, no budget or timeline

The revitalization plan for the Barra area around D. Carlos I Dock was unveiled yesterday in a press conference organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC).

Government officials announced the plan that comprises a total intervention area of 35,324 square meters, which includes 11,305 square meters of construction and 13 different buildings.

Among those are the Navy Dockyards 1 and 2, which have already been revamped and have been the sites of various exhibitions and other cultural events, as well as the old slaughterhouse and the government workers’ dormitory, the office of the Department of Environmental Hygiene and Licensing from the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) as well as the Customs (SA) building and car park.

The area in scope also includes a water area, located at the center with almost 5,000 m2.

According to the government’s announcement yesterday, the idea is to create a leisure, cultural and creative park with local cultural characteristics and attractions to increase Macau’s touristic offerings and revitalize the Barra area in the surroundings of the A-Má Temple, keeping the area’s traditional relation to the sea and some of Macau’s industrial areas.

When complete, it is expected the project will include cultural and creative industries’ product sales, art exhibitions, food and beverage stalls and cafes, as well as a performing arts space and installations.

The idea is to link the area to the city’s historical center, namely the Ruins of St. Paul’s, creating a corridor to invite the tourists who usually visit both areas to also explore the old districts, namely Barra and Inner Harbour.

The government is conducting the revitalization project with the support of MGM China Holdings Limited.

big six to help revitalization

At the same event, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong, said this is part of a series of six projects in which the government is cooperating with the six gaming concessionaires to revitalize six historical districts.

Ao Ieong said the purpose is to reveal more of Macau’s cultural heritage, creating iconic attractions and enriching travelers’ experiences with elements of the local culture.

The six areas targeted for revitalization include the new pedestrian area at the Rua da Felicidade, Piers 23 and 25 at the Inner Harbour, the Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro and Rua 5 de Outubro, the Iec Long Firecracker Factory area in Taipa and the old shipyards of Lai Chi Vun.

The Secretary said all these areas have rich architecture and other historical features, in addition to having played very important roles in local society.

Ao Ieong said these projects are a challenge at several levels as they need to strike a balance between revamping the areas without changing their characteristics too much.

Additionally, the choice of the services and cultural offerings needs to be well planned so new businesses can be sustained and effectively expand the available attractions for visitors.

Teams of professional experts will plan the changes, Ao Ieong said.

No budget or timeline yet

The large-scale project does not currently have a fixed budget or timeline for conclusion, the president and executive director of MGM China Holdings, Pansy Ho, said, explaining that such a large-scale plan requires time to be evaluated.

She also said it is important to fully utilize the buildings and area without major demolitions or changes, particularly if they relate to historical features to avoid jeopardizing their cultural value.

The director of IC, Deland Leong, added that, both individually and as a whole, the buildings in the area have great historical value, which is why the IC will closely monitor the works and release strict guidelines on the revitalization criteria.

Gov’t departments to relocate

Another aspect that will delay the revitalization efforts is the fact that most of the buildings to be revamped are currently in use by several government services and departments.

The Secretary said these services will be relocated to new offices in other areas. As an example, she mentioned that the IAM department, currently located at the former slaughterhouse, already has a new space assigned and will soon be moved to Qingmao Port. A new customs building will also be completed shortly, located in the Pac On area, where all services currently in the Barra headquarters will move.

According to Ao Ieong, after the relocation of these two services, the revitalization works should be able to commence.

First jetfoil ferry excluded from Barra project

MGM’s Pansy Ho has rejected the idea of including the first jetfoil ferry in the Barra revitalization project.

Questioned on the many calls from the public to ascribe a ‘monument’ status to the vessel, Ho said there is no suitable location for the ferry to be placed as a tourist attraction. She said there are technical impossibilities that prevent such things from happening.

Ho is also the chairperson and managing director of Shun Tak Holdings, which owns the maritime passenger transport operator, TurboJet.