Streets closed in downtown Hope Town By Stephanie Humblestone

Streets Restricted to Pedestrians
By Stephanie Hubmlestone

A locked gate blocking all motorised vehicles from entering the heart of Hope Town between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. has been erected by local government. The action was taken in response to concerns voiced by residents about the increasing flow of traffic through the streets of the small settlement, which was not only detracting from its charm but also endangering pedestrians.

By no means a new problem, but aggravated by the transportation of rebuilding and restoration materials after Hurricane Floyd, the decision to control vehicular traffic in this way was made four years ago at an open Town Meeting and hence put on the local government agenda. It was unanimously agreed then that extreme measures would have to be taken to preserve both the safety and the quietness of Hope Town. Sanctioned by Mr. Ritchie of the Department of National Security in Nassau, the gate will stay locked and only opened in an emergency by assigned individuals, amongst which are members of Hope Town Fire and Rescue. One of the reasons which prompted this measure was the flagrant abuse of the privilege to drive through town, permission for which had to be obtained from all of the members of local government. With more businesses springing up and existing ones flourishing, there has been increased activity on the streets of Elbow Cay over the past couple of years.

By and large the reaction to the gate has been neutral with the exception of a few residents living in the north end of the island, some of them business owners. One man felt enclosed and vulnerable in the case of an emergency. Another complained that he was locked out after making a delivery of building materials to White Sound in the southern part of Elbow Cay. One cryptic comment by a Wyannie Malone descendent, who was adamantly opposed to the gate, was that it hinted at more policing in the future.