The continued restoration and beautification of downtown Kingston got some extra momentum through the expansion of the Kulture Key project, which seeks to highlight Jamaica’s world-renowned musical heritage, culture and other themes of national pride via murals.

Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams, who was addressing the monthly meeting of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) on Tuesday (March 14), said the expansion work will include several other areas in downtown Kingston, apart from Mark Lane and Water Lane.

He informed that the response to the project has been quite positive from residents and visitors to the area.

“We have expanded the project to another section of Mark Lane, which we are completing,” he said.

The mayor further noted that work commenced in February, which was observed as Reggae Month.

“As part of celebrating our music culture and music history, in Reggae Month we started a section of Beeston Street and Charles Street, which are a part of our music streets… so we felt that doing some work on those streets to celebrate the music history was quite in order,” he said.

Williams pointed out that a section of Orange Street in the vicinity of Beeston and Charles Streets as well as Church Street between Barry Street and Port Royal Street will be undertaken.

According to the mayor, funding will be sought for the Church Street aspect of the project, adding that discussions are underway with several entities.

“We have been in dialogue with UDC (Urban Development Corporation), TEF (Tourism Enhancement Fund) and other ministries and agencies to help fund that project as part of building out a friendlier and more aesthetically pleasing municipality, so in the end we would not be limited to Mark Lane and Water Lane but we would have expanded the area that we call Kulture Key to other areas, including in the vicinity of the municipality,” he mused.

Ultimately, Williams admitted that a primary aim of the Kulture Key project is to attract commerce to the once-neglected areas.

“The idea is that when we have completed this, is to have frequent events as often as we can in these areas as part of celebrating our music,” he said.