Woodbrook residents are concerned about the slippery condition of the newly-installed coloured sidewalks along Ariapita Avenue.
They said the recent renovations have made them slippery when wet, and claimed several people have slipped or fallen and injured themselves.
They are questioning what conditions masqueraders will face as they pass through the area on Carnival Monday and Tuesday or the throngs on people who visit the many clubs and bars along one of the more popular liming strips in Trinidad.
Woodbrook Community Council chairman Ashelle Wadel said the renovations were part of the Ministry of Planning and Development's push to make Woodbrook and the Avenue a Carnival hub. She said there had been a breakdown in communication between the residents and the ministry.
“We didn’t realise they were redoing the sidewalk twice. They poured the normal concrete, and then put cement on top of that. They used dyes and stamps to make patterns in the cement, and then put a sealant on top of that.
[caption id="attachment_1062899" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Residents say the shiny sealant on this Ariapita Avenue sidewalk becomes slippery when wet - Paula Lindo[/caption]
"When they finished the faux tiles, they didn’t check the effect it would have with water, and when it gets wet the water beads up on the surface.
"I’ve slipped twice on it. In addition, when you walk on the pavement it’s not even. I’ve tripped many times on uneven pieces.”
She said an elderly resident had fallen last week and injured her knee to the extent that it required surgery.
Wadel questioned the effect this would have during Carnival, when people would be drunk while trying to walk along the sidewalk. She said it was almost certain drinks would be spilled, and questioned whether vendors would set up on the sidewalk, as is normal during Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
“In addition, I don’t think the planners thought about what would happen when the revellers pass through Woodbrook on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. The vendors and the pedestrians will have to compete with the plant pots and artificial lights which were put in place.
"Also, we’ve seen the power people have when they’re drunk: the plant pots could be toppled over and the artificial lights ripped up.”
[caption id="attachment_1062898" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A section of the newly-removated pink-coloured sidewalk in Woodbrook which residents claim poses a potential hazard when rain falls. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
Woodbrook resident Cecile George said she has also slipped on the sidewalk, but was able to catch herself before actually falling.
“While the idea is nice and we appreciate the effort to improve the avenue, someone didn’t do sufficient research.
"What the former mayor said last year was that the surfaces would be sprayed with an epoxy solution to make them shiny. Unfortunately, it also makes them slippery when wet, which a quick Google search would have turned up.
"Apparently, you’re supposed to add an anti-slip additive to the compound befo
