General Meeting
The next meeting day is April 27th, 6 PM in the Town Hall. During the meeting, you will learn about all the projects underway and new programs and projects we may be undertaking. The standard agenda follows:
Resolutions
Approve: To award UNESCO funding in the amount of $55,000.00 for the St. George’s Seafood Festival.
Approve: To award UNESCO funding in the amount of $304,500 towards the costs for the completion of the Ordnance Island Dock Restoration project.
* All resolutions require the approval of the Minister responsible for Municipalities.
Road Closures
When the Corporation hosts major events, we will reduce public access to ensure public safety. On some occasions, there are no road closures, but there may be traffic delays as the participants exit the Town.
Dates:
Sunday, April 16th (7am-11am)
Road: King’s Square/Ordnance Island, Water Street West. One Lane traffic on Duke of York Street.
No parking on Water Street West and Duke of York Street from King’s Square to Rose Hill from Saturday, April 15th at 5pm - Sunday, April 16th at 11am
Event: BRCC Cycle Race
Sunday, April 23rd (7:30am-12pm)
Road: King’s Square
Event: Peppercorn Ceremony Rehearsal
Wednesday, April 26th (from 9am)
Road: King’s Square
Event: Peppercorn Event
Draft Strategic Plan Released
Community Input Shapes The Town.
To all the Town members who visited the Town's website or downloaded the Draft Strategic Town Plan, we say thank you. Your input helps shape the plan and gives us concerns we have to evaluate.
We have received feedback and noted some preliminary concerns:
• Finances
• The Corporation's actual role
• Business relationships
Finances are a concern at any level of management, whether it is a municipality or a private business. The Corporation's income is generated by airport wharfage. Undertakings beyond our day-to-day operations will likely increase our expenses. Most expenses are generated by providing free services, such as staffing free events or maintaining assets the public use without cost. Finances will undergo a review as we proceed with the Town Plan.
The Corporation is a private business with government-like powers. It is not the government and does not make national laws or finance programs such as advertising the Town internationally or providing services like ferries. Many wonder why it does not operate exactly like the Corporation of Hamilton. The simple answer is that we are a Town that does not charge taxes. The Corporation of Hamilton charges up to 6% to residents and businesses, resulting in $7 million in property taxes. That funding level would allow us to operate at a comparable level and increase investment in programs that would deliver tourists to Town businesses and create more activities for the community.
As an official business representative for the Town, our communication with the government and investors is always guided by consideration for the welfare of the Town's residents and businesses. Occasionally, Town businesses demand that the Corporation spend its income to support their private enterprises, or residents express upset about not having weekly social programmes to create vibrancy. The funds we can allocate are restricted by taxes residents and businesses pay to the Corporation of St. George's.
Queen's Warehouse Facade
Restoration Is Underway.
Great news everyone! We are thrilled to announce that work is moving ahead on the Queen's Warehouse facade! Our dedicated CSG team has been tasked with a major renovation due to significant plaster deterioration, and we are proud to report that the process is well underway. After thorough evaluations, it was determined that preventive maintenance was needed to plaster the entire front of the building. Our skilled workers have been working tirelessly to remove loose plaster, apply new plaster, allow it to dry, and finally, paint it to perfection!
And that's not all - we are also excited to report that Moongate Brewing Co. Ltd., our new tenant, has been working hard to prepare the inside for its grand opening! With the interior coming together and the exterior receiving a much-needed facelift, we are eagerly anticipating the bright future of this historic building. So let's all raise a glass to progress, and look forward to the exciting changes that lie ahead!.
UNESCO World Poetry Day
Stories Shared and Memories Made.
The fact that the Town of St George's is actively involved in global programs associated with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is truly inspiring. The Town's investment in activities that foster education and uplift its culture is a significant move towards preserving its heritage and improving the quality of life of its residents.
The World Poetry Day celebration, held annually, is an excellent initiative that offers students a chance to learn about the Town's maritime history and showcase their knowledge through an oratory presentation of poetry. Despite the rain, the March 21 event proceeded as planned, and students from East End Primary, Francis Patton Primary, St. George's Preparatory, and St. David's Primary proudly displayed their talents and accomplishments before their families, guests, and dignitaries.
It's crucial to understand that opportunities like these are essential for students, especially as they take their first steps towards public speaking. Such initiatives inspire students to boost their confidence, creativity, and communication skills, all of which are vital to their personal and professional development.
Overall, it's commendable to witness the Town of St George's taking tangible measures to promote education, cultural heritage, and public speaking among its youth. These efforts play a crucial role in ensuring the Town's continued growth and prosperity.
And we would be remiss if we did not extend a special thank you to our Town partners: Robertson’s, Long Story Short, and Yo Cherry for their prize donations.
Triple Challenge Hosted
The Corporation Thanks Organisers & Businesses.
The BDA Triple Challenge is an annual event that is well-liked in Bermuda, providing participants with the opportunity to conquer challenging obstacle courses throughout the island's historical and cultural locations for three days. The event includes three races, over 75 obstacles, and race distances ranging from 3 to 10 kilometers. Individuals and teams aged 13 and up can register for the event, which is now recognized as a qualifying event for the OCR World Championship. We are grateful to the organizers for selecting our Town and demonstrating how it can be transformed, and we are appreciative of our Town businesses for accommodating the traffic disruptions and the influx of additional visitors.
Bulletin
- Friday - April 7th - Good Friday
- Friday - April 7th - Walk To Calvary
- Sunday - April 16th - BRCC Cycle Race
- Saturday - April 22nd - Pilot James Darrell Commemorative Service
- Wednesday - April 26th - Peppercorn Ceremony
- Thu - Sat - April 27-29th - The Agricultural Exhibition
- Saturday, May 6th, 2023 - Convex End-to-End
- Thursday, May 11th - Municipal Elections
- Monday, May 8th - King Charles III, Coronation
- Friday, May 26th - Bermuda Day
Town Hall - April 20th
All Invited To The Presentations.
We are delighted to announce that the Steering Committee has successfully completed its work and is eager to present its findings to you. We would like to invite you to attend our upcoming Town Hall presentation, which will provide an opportunity for residents, business owners, and friends of the community to gain valuable insights into the committee's work.
This is our first Town Hall since before the pandemic, and we are thrilled to be able to reconnect with our community members in person. The presentation will cover a range of topics, including updates on community and office services, as well as addressing issues that affect our residents and local businesses.
Your participation is important to us, and we encourage you to attend and provide input on the draft presented. This feedback will help guide our future planning efforts with the support of the Council.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Town Hall presentation.
April 26th, 2023: Peppercorn Ceremony
King's Square, St. George's.
Travel back in time and behold an event brimming with history and customs - The Bermuda Peppercorn Ceremony! This spellbinding ceremony pays homage to a distant era when a solitary peppercorn was exchanged as rent payment, a defining moment in the Town's history.
The Peppercorn Ceremony is a captivating spectacle that beckons tourists, students, and locals alike to witness this annual occurrence. Immerse yourself in the splendor of yesteryear as you observe officials and dignitaries adorned in traditional garb, parading through the streets, accompanied by the rousing sounds of military music with the Town Crier guiding the festivities.
The apex of the event is when the Treasurer of the Lodge presents the Peppercorn to the Accountant General, signifying the payment of rent for the Old State House - a momentous landmark that held a significant role in Bermuda's colonial history.
Whether you're a history aficionado, an inquisitive traveler, or a proud Bermudian, the Peppercorn Ceremony is an occasion that you cannot afford to miss. So, come and partake in this celebration of Bermuda's rich cultural heritage, which has been preserved for generations to come!
Did you know …
You can host a major or intimate event in St. George’s at one of the amazing locations; Penno’s Wharf, Somers Garden, King's Square and Town Hall, any of these spots are beautiful and idyllic to host a company function, weddings, milestone birthday or any occasion. For more information please contact CSG Offices at
The Town Post Office
Connecting St. George's To The World.
The St. George's Post Office, nestled on Water Street, has been a steadfast presence in our Town for over a century. It has played an essential role in connecting residents with loved ones, both near and far. With the help of its vast network of post offices, the St. George's Post Office has made it possible for messages to travel across oceans and continents, reaching the most exotic places around the world such as Paris, Hong Kong, or South Africa.
Despite the incredible feat of managing such a highly specialised logistics operation, the post office remains humble and often goes unnoticed. But to those who have come to rely on its services, the post office is a beacon of hope, a symbol of the enduring power of human connection delivering treasured gifts throughout the generations — care packages to our college student, that birthday card that says you still remember, or that all-important letter that you have been left a 6-acre estate and vineyard that needs a little love and care (sorry, wrong movie :-).
In the early days, postcards were a primary medium for sharing the beauty of our Town and island with distant loved ones, sparking their desire to come visit. And the rare selection of Bermuda's stamps has captured the hearts of philatelists for generations.
As the world has changed, so has the post office. With modernization, the St. George's Post Office now offers e-commerce support services that allow mail tracking and online shopping delivery right to your doorstep. While it is preferred that you patronise retailers in the Town, the post office allows you to order on gibbons.bm or even nike.com and be a positive economic benefit to the community, with the post office employing staff to handle packages and the wharfage collected helping to finance paving the Town streets. But through it all, the post office has remained a vital part of our community, bridging the distance between loved ones and keeping us all connected.
