THE Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC) has confirmed that a section of the Kitty market is expected to be completed and opened to vendors by mid-July.

Chief Engineer of the M&CC, Colvern Venture told members of the media that his team is working to finish the southern section of the building so that vendors can reoccupy that section.

“We have had many setbacks due to the lack of funds …this hindered our ability to acquire the requisite materials to finish the market,” said Venture.

The M&CC has received more than 170 applications from citizens who wish to set up new stalls in the market’s ground floor of which is costing the Council roughly $35M.

The market, which has great historical significance and bears much pride for the Kitty community, is to feature a traditional health centre, an office for rates and taxes, and space for the community councillor. “We are also contemplating putting some space for the Councillor’s office at the market; and this is not only at Kitty, but wherever we have municipal buildings, we intend to make space available for councillors working with their local communities,” the Town Clerk, Royston King had said.

According to him, there will be a decentralisation of Council’s work, as the market will take into account the needs of communities between Cummings Lodge and Kitty. The upper flat of the market is being remodelled to include a rates and taxes office, as well as a municipal clinic.

The Kitty Market was established in 1882, two years after the Bourda Market had come into being. Like the Bourda Market, Kitty Market is timber-framed. The 19th century structure had suffered massive deterioration over the years prior to its renovation, causing vendors operating in its environs to lodge numerous complaints with the City Council.