The old pumping station at Heiligenweg, located at Kodjo, Mentor, and Presentpren, will be repurposed into a cyber café and a tourist information center, according to Ricardo Bhola, district commissioner (DC) of Paramaribo-Northeast, speaking to Suriname Herald.
The DC explained that he is working on implementing Private Partnership Projects in the city center, including the old pumping station, which for years had become a haven for undesirable activities. Bhola emphasized the need to give the downtown area a clear identity. The location has been allocated to an entrepreneur with promising plans for its redevelopment.
While Bhola refrained from disclosing the identity of the entrepreneur, he assured that something remarkable is in store. The transformation is expected to be well-received, given the current disuse of the pumping station and its adverse impact on the aesthetics of Waterkant.
The new facility will feature a cyber café where people can relax and dine. Additionally, a tourist information center will be established to provide functional services to the community, Bhola added.
He also noted that work on the new enterprise has already commenced. The pumping station, which once served the drainage needs of Heiligenweg, has been out of operation for years. During an inspection, the site was found littered with plastic bottles, bags, and other debris.