New food booths for vendors at Central Park

In May, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) indicated that they would improve the facilities of the food vendors at Central Park, and on Tuesday, July 4th, the erection of the first booth was observed. According to the SPTC, these new booths will include upgrades to provide better services and increase food safety at the park. These new food booths will come with a rental fee and regulations for renters.
In an interview with Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez, he said the new facilities will allow for proper refrigeration and better food storage by providing an enclosed environment. The booths will be constructed from blocks made from the seaweed Sargassum. Nuñez said he had been discussing the project with Mexican businessman Omar Vasquez, founder of SargaBlocks, a company that makes construction blocks from seaweed.  However, without much explanation, the SPTC said the construction would now be from concrete instead. The SPTC did not provide further details of the project and the overall cost, but reportedly they will build around six food booths.
Another part of the project is to upgrade the standards of food vendors. According to the Mayor, all food vendors at Central Park must hold a food handlers’ license as required by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Some food vendors shared that such upgrades would benefit their business and provide their customers with more food options. They added that the structures would protect them against unpredictable weather. While the food vendors are happy about the improvement, they hope the rental fees are reasonable.
This latest upgrade to Central Park aims to make it a more family-oriented public space. San Pedro holds a certification under the child-friendly municipality initiative. This program under the United Nations Children’s Fund protects children in a particular community, including living in a safe and healthy environment and considering their concerns. San Pedro holds the silver status certification as a child-friendly municipality. The next step is to reach the gold and platinum levels. This will depend on how the local administration manages the municipality’s affairs, such as trade licenses, markets, sporting facilities, health, education, social services, development projects, and works on parks and playgrounds.