Barbados TravelAdvisor

puggydog wrote:Hi Sir Spamalot.
Not sure about the boardwalk.But we have always walked along the beach to the gap anyway..Well almost you just need to cut up through a lane when the beach runs out..Then your almost at the gap ...

Under Scrutiny: Under the Boardwalk

4/13/2009

By Stephen Alleyne

As the northbound surf caressed the sandy beach of the South Coast under the watchful eyes of the waxing April moon, I strolled along the newly built Boardwalk between Hastings and Worthings the other night. Alone.

And as I made this excursion, I instinctively began to hum the Drifter’s 1964 pop hit Under the Boardwalk which goes:

“Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof
And your shoes get so hot you wish your tired feet were fire-proof
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be

(Chorus)
“Under the boardwalk, out of the sun
Under the boardwalk, we’ll be havin’ some fun
Under the boardwalk, people walking above
Under the boardwalk, we’ll be falling in love
Under the board-walk, board-walk!”

The sight of the police in the press on their motorised scooter patrol on the Boardwalk a week ago was a reminder that I had not taken the time out to enjoy what pleasures the Boardwalk had to offer. I am impressed. I was surprised at the number of locals who go there on evenings to walk, jog, chat, fish and relax – the young, the not-so-young, the old, males by themselves, females by themselves, couples.

However, I see the Boardwalk as much more than a place where people go to kill time. I have a vision of the Boardwalk developing into a cultural village, and I invite the Ministers of Culture and Tourism to give it some serious thought. I see no reason why we can’t have a variety of cultural events at different points along the walk where people can move from point to point until they find an event that suits their taste. We could have a night for pan on the Hastings Rocks end, another night for spouge, another for jazz, another for reggae, another for calypso, another for folk, another for dance, another for art and another for local cuisine or any other event.

It would perhaps be a good idea to give this suggestion a trial run during the upcoming Crop Over season if plans haven’t yet been finalised. And it’s not necessary to do anything too elaborate at this stage; one cavalcade at the Rocks would be impactful.

However, a word of caution. I’ve noticed there’s a scarcity of bins along the Boardwalk and we must be careful to protect the environment. To refuse to make provisions for the disposal of waste is to encourage people to litter. Fortunately, things haven’t got out of hand and we must nip it in the bud. Bins and toilet facilities must be put in place and barbecuing must be banned from the area. As a matter of fact, I see nothing wrong with making the area a ‘no smoking’ zone. People who go there should be guaranteed a breath of fresh air. One other thing I must mention: there was a presence of uniformed police officers up to the time I left, not humming, but singing the following verse:

“From the park you hear the happy sound of a carousel
Mm-mm, you can almost taste the hot dogs and French fries they sell
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be.”

Happy Easter!

(Stephen Alleyne is an attorney-at-law. Email: swalleye@sunbeach.net)