From as far back as the 19^th century, when Marine Square was walled round to protect the shrubs planted by governor Sir Ralph Woodford from stray goats, to the early part of this century when Broadway was called Almond Walk - on account of the almond trees that lined the paths where fashionable ladies promenaded - the promenade has always been seen as a relaxing space.

This changed as more business activity and more people came to Port of Spain, and by 1970 the commercialization had taken its toll, and there was need for the restoration of lower Port of Spain.

The Port of Spain Land Use Plan from the mid - 1970s shows a promenade extending from the East Dry River to Wrightson Road and then to the Port. Nothing was done, though, until the Eric Williams Financial Complex was built in the early 1980s, and then only the block directly opposite the complex was refurbished.

Many things stood in the way by this time; not in the least the Drag Brothers' mall, the ubiquitous maxi and regular taxi stands, and the lethargy that accompanies a large-scale change. Indeed, it would take a major event to finally begin the process of construction: that event being the attempted coup of 10990 which left a large part of the city in ruins.

In 1991, the National Insurance Property Development Company (Nipdec) began negotiations to relocate the Drag Brothers and began to search for solutions tot he vehicular congestion.

Designed by the architectural firm Colin Laird Associates, the first phase of construction began in 1993 on the two blocks between Richmond and Edward streets and Abercromby and St Vincent streets. The success of the first phase in terms of popular reception was so overwhelming that a second phase was embarked upon in early 1994, financed by banks which operated along the promenade.

Around the time of completion in November of that year, businesses around the promenade formed themselves into the Promenade management Association, a private non-profit company which would be funded by member-contributions. Its budget of about $75,000 - $90,000 per month is used on security, periodic maintenance of facilities like the furniture and the flower beds, and refurbishment. They took over the management of the promenade from the Port of Spain City Corporation.

Buoyed by the success of the second-phase construction, the Government financed the third phase which commenced in early 1995. It was completed in record time by August that year. The completion of the third phase, from the Cipriani Statue to the Cathedral was simultaneous with the completion of City Gate, which meant the maxi taxis were out of the picture, and dulling somewhat the frantic pace, bringing it more in line with a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.

The activities that can be conducted on the promenade vary from a leisurely evening of chess and sitting and talking on the upper part along Bankers' Row, or feteing on the lower part. In fact, from the Cipriani Statue to the Cathedral is the site of almost weekly entertainment events.

To date, with weekly shows, and a constant stream of pedestrians and persons who just stop to watch the day go by, the promenade is by any standard, a success.

The PMA reports that about 127,000 people cross the promenade on any given day and there are always about 3,000 people using the facilities on an average Friday afternoon.

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The Brian Lara promenade is managed by the Promenade Management Association (PMA), a private non-profit company. The association has a membership of 22, which includes most, though not all, of the businesses which border the promenade.

The PMA is managed by a board which contains representatives of each class of member-business. There are three bankers, a local government representative, two utility representatives, a merchant/wholesaler, an insurance industry representative and a property development representative.

The members are Susan Dore (chairman), Arthur Massiah (deputy chairman), Richard Bryden (secretary), John Jeffrey (secretary) and members Kurtis Rudd, Petra Bernard, Sita Taylor, Ashley Boissiere and Margaret Thompson.

The maintenance is done jointly by the Port of Spain City Corporation and the PMA. The annual management budget is about $750,000, and it depends upon members' contributions, event-fees, and other revenue generators, like bathroom fees, for its income.

The management of the promenade includes sanitation, landscaping, engineering (like cleaning and upkeeping the bathroom facilities and the water-fountains).

As they move into a new year, the latest aims of the PMA board are to widen the revenue base through increased membership, and widening the categories of members, and to increase the number and variety of events. They also hope to put out a Promenade newsletter for members.

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