Gazebo in downtown Belize City causing a stir

When residents drove over the Swing Bridge on Thursday morning, they were surprised and probably perplexed to see a gazebo smack in the middle of the junction with North Front Street and Queen Street. But unlike backyard gazebos this one wasn’t for relaxing… instead it is for on-duty traffic officers. Today the structure, which is sponsored by Benny’s Home Dept, was officially opened by the mayor and Dylcia Feinstein of Benny’s. According to Feinstein, the gazebo has many good points: primarily the protection of traffic officers.

Dylcia Feinstein, Benny’s
“It’s designed really to shelter and protect traffic officers; shelter from the sun and the rain, to protect them from the risk of being hit by a vehicle. I believe that inside the traffic gazebo they are safer and they will feel a lot safer. It’s an orientation landmark for tourists, it has signs that direct tourists to areas of interest within the c City. It adds to the beautification project that the city council is embarking on, so it has a lot of good points to it. I feel like the city will enjoy it.”

Zenaida Moya, Belize City Mayor
“It’s something that used to be in the 1940’s and so we are happy to have brought it back. It’s a beautiful structure and I am sure that a lot of people will want to come in here and take pictures, but it does serve a very useful role and it’s to protect our traffic officers as they go about doing their everyday job.”

Kendra Griffith
“We’re gonna see any more gazebo’s popping up anywhere else?”

Dean Samuels, Councillor Responsible for Traffic
“Sure, we have been approached by different business people right now that they want to get some erected. So we at the traffic department at the council, what we are going to do is to look at areas that deal with the work best and then we’ll get back to them.”