S-Corner Community gets New Play Ground

Children of the S-Corner Community in Bennett Land in Kingston now have a safe, healthy and adequately equipped play ground to frolic.
The project valued at more than $2 million, was initiated by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and funded by the Caribbean Development Bank.
It is an attempt to combat the negative influence of inner city life by promoting positive play and interaction by creating an area for children to relieve stress, socialize non violently and learn to cooperate and function in teams. Senior Manager of JSIF, Don Miller, speaking at the official handing over of the play centre to the community at the S-Corner Basic School on Wednesday (May 5), said the play centre signalled JSIF’s firm belief in community playgrounds, as research had shown that play grounds “not only allow children to burn excess energy, provide exercise and physical growth but are also important in the social and intellectual development of the child.”
Today, there is a place in this community where children between the ages of three and eight can play in safety, while their parents have the peace of mind of knowing that their little ones are safe and secure,” he told the gathering.
He noted also that the provision was in keeping with JSIF’s mission to help the most vulnerable groups in society through continued emphasis and significant investment in projects to improve the education and welfare of the nation’s children.
In the past six years, approximately 156,000 persons have benefited from the more than 230 completed projects by JSIF, earmarked to assist children and young adults.
Local Government and Community Development Minister, Portia Simpson Miller presided over the opening.