Hangar Reopens Amid Legal Battle and Privatization Fears

It’s the hangout spot everyone knows, but now, it’s at the center of a legal and political storm. Hangar, the popular seafront in Belize City, is back open after two months of being blocked off by the Belize City Council. But those massive concrete flowerpots that shut down access were quietly removed, just days before a court hearing on the matter. Coincidence, or a strategic move to dodge a legal showdown? The council says the barricades were about safety and quality of life for residents, pointing to a petition dating back to 2022 that complained about everything from loud music and weed smoking to discarded condoms and even burglary. But one resident, Rommel Berges, says he was never consulted, and now, he’s taking the fight to the High Court. And if that wasn’t enough, News Five has uncovered another bombshell, a provisional approval to subdivide the roadway and hand it over to private landowners. So, is Hangar headed for privatization? Here’s News Five’s Paul Lopez.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

It’s back open, but not without controversy. The popular seafront hangout known as Hangar is once again accessible to the public after being blocked off for two months by the Belize City Council. But did the council quietly remove those massive concrete flowerpots to avoid a court fight with an upset resident? And is this public space being eyed for privatization? When the barricades first went up, Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller said it was all about safety and improving quality of life for residents. But tonight, questions linger about what’s really behind the move.

 

On The Phone: Eluide Millier, Deputy Mayor (File: Aug 27^th, 2025)

“And as a council, we have a responsibility to ensure that they live well in the area that they call their home. So, an original petition was submitted to the council back in April 2022, and at that time the council advised the residents to engage with other key stakeholders and including the Belize Police Department before any consideration is given by the council. So, they reverted back to us in July 2024 when they returned to the council with a formal letter that was supported by the then Commissioner of Police who acknowledged the increase in criminal activity in the area and as part of that correspondence, even recommended that the council considers restricting vehicular access to the space, in support of their crimefighting efforts.”

 

The original 2022 petition included sixteen signatures from residents in the Home Park area of Caribbean Shores. The petition listed more than a dozen complaints, including excessive drinking, weed smoking, disposing of spent condoms, burglary and theft. The petition was addressed to Mayor Bernard Wagner.

 

On the phone: Eluide Millier

“The original petition was submitted by thirty plus residents including those who live along the very sea front. Those residents who live along the connecting streets. And so, it did have the support of all of them, as it is required for a petition to come into the council and be given consideration. You must have signatories from within the community.”

Well, the decision did not sit well with one Belize City resident who lives in the immediate area. Rommel Berges says he was never consulted or given an opportunity to make representation prior to being denied vehicular access to the area. And so Berges has taken his grievance to the High Court. In early October, he applied for permission to apply for judicial review. And the court granted him that permission. Here are some of Berges’ concerns, the lack of access to a public road, preventing use of an area enjoyed by residents, and the inability to launch boats from the area. Berges also asserts that the Council’s decision led to his street becoming a one-way, impacting on delivery of services such as garbage pickups, but also blocking the Fire Department from accessing water from the sea. Berges also expressed that without vehicular access to the area, the police will be prevented from generally securing the seafront. Well interestingly, the Belize City Council removed the concrete flowerpots over the weekend, just over a week before the matter will be heard before Justice Rajiv Goonetilleke on November fifth, coincidental, or an intentional decision to do away with the legal complaint?

 

On the phone: Eluide Millier

“Well its strict restriction on vehicular access, meaning if you have a vehicle and want to park in the area known as hanger, you can’t go park in the immediate area. It is still open in foot traffic. But the issue has long been people going there and parking for hours and smoking and playing loud music and disrupting the entire community.”

And while we wait to see how that court matter plays out, with the removal of the blockades, the area is at the center of another controversial consideration. News Five has obtained a copy of a provisional approval to subdivide the roadway and place it in the hands of private landowners. The provisional approval was granted more than a year ago in August 2024. We will continue to follow the paper trail to find out who are the potential owners and if the public road was decommissioned. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

 

The seafront stretch is lined with properties owned by some of Belize City’s wealthiest business figures. So, is it just coincidence that a petition, which barely made waves back in 2022, suddenly resurfaced and pushed the City Council to block off the Hangar? We’ll dig deeper into this tomorrow night because this story is far from over.