Study to be done on Bequia Waterfront

A TEAM of seven top-level urban and community planners from the American Institute of Architects will be visiting Bequia from May 30 through June 3 to study the Port Elizabeth waterfront and provide a citizen-led vision of how that area can be improved and upgraded for the benefit of everyone who uses it.

The all-volunteer Regional/ Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) has extensive experience in small-town design, environmental planning, community revitalization and development, municipal sustainability, public policy, civil engineering,

landscape architecture, historic preservation planning, strengthening civic capacity, and more.

The team will be led by Joel Mills, Senior Director of the American Institute of Architects’ Center for Communities by Design.

The Center is a leading provider of pro bono technical assistance and democratic design for community success. The Center’s design assistance process has been recognized with numerous awards and has been replicated and adapted across the world.

According to a release, the Bequia R/UDAT Steering Committee, set up last year, will facilitate the team’s visit next month.

In the coming weeks, the Committee will be reaching out to Bequia community members to provide information about the R/ UDAT visit and to gather input.

At the end of the team’s visit, Bequia will receive a pro bono report with the team’s suggestions and strategies on how the Port Elizabeth waterfront area can be optimized for the benefit of all, the release said.