Couple operates car park facility as post-retirement job 

By Wendella Davidson

THERE is nothing more comforting to the owners of motor vehicles or motorcycles, who have reasons to leave their machine behind, be it for business or pleasure for a day or days, who do not have to worry about the vehicles’ safety.
Some people have developed a relationship with their vehicle to the extents that they see it as an extension of themselves.

There have been known tales of vehicles being vandalised by persons unknown, even when left at places where one thought to be safe. It the need for this `safe parking’ that numerous parking facilities have been established locally and internationally, with the owners being asked to pay a fee with the amount paid being tallied according to the length of the stay.

One such facility is `Barnes Secure Parking’ located at the junction of Parika, a port on the East Bank of Essequibo in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region. Parika, considered as the gateway to the mining communities, has seen considerable developments and investments by the private sector, especially in the area of financial services.
The facility is managed by John Barnes and his wife, both of whom had worked in the banking industry before proceeding into retirement.
Speaking with the Pepperpot Magazine recently, Barnes, who was born at Parika but had left some 50 years ago to seek employment, said the plot of land where his facility is situated is a family legacy.

He built his retirement home on another plot which is adjacent to the business place and where previously stood the family home.

According to Barnes, prior to retiring, he thought of establishing some business where he can earn some income and came up with the idea of a parking lot. Construction started in 2013 and when completed he used to manage the facility from Nandy Park, a community on the East Bank of Essequibo where he lived at the time. It, however, proved stressful because of the distance of travel, hence, he sold that home and constructed the one at Parika where he now resides permanently.

Barnes said when he opened the facility in 2014, business was pretty slow because a competitor who operated there before him was located right next door to his business.
Nevertheless, Barnes says business has been reasonable since he has his own `loyal’ clientele, among whom are businessmen and women, some of whom leave their vehicles for days. Then there are persons travelling to the island for a day or those going on day tours, or boat excursions/cruises, in particular, the popular `Yankee All White’ which attracts a large following including visitors from overseas.

The car park facility which is fitted with 24-hour surveillance cameras, operates daily with the opening hours from 05:30hrs to 20:30hrs and the fees are quite reasonable, but Barnes said he has developed such a relationship with his regular customers that should the need arise for the use of the facility earlier than the opening hours, or to collect a vehicle after closing time the customer is accommodated.

“We have two fulltime staff who have been trained in aspects of courtesy to customers and when they are unavailable my wife and I take over as we live right next door. We try to meet our customers to the best we can and make them feel comfortable, such as ensuring the washroom is always clean.

With continued development within the community, Barnes says he anticipates the business will continue to bloom.