$234-Million Project to Revitalise Castleton Botanical Gardens

Work to restore the 163-year-old Castleton Botanical Gardens in St. Mary to its former glory is being carried out at a cost of $234 million.

The work will also protect the flora and fauna at the garden from adverse weather conditions associated with climate change and the threat of other environmental infringements.

This was announced recently by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during a ground-breaking ceremony for the Castleton Pipeline Project in the parish.

He indicated that the work would restore the Castleton Botanical Gardens to its initial mission of preserving the ecosystem, while educating Jamaicans about nature.

“The idea behind this is that we must return the park to its original purpose… to preserve the ecosystem of our flora and fauna, but an original purpose as well is to educate the population, to serve as a space for the recreation of the population,” Dr. Holness said.

The restoration works are being done under the Jamaican Path from Hills to Oceans Project, which is a collaborative initiative between the Government and the European Union (EU), aimed at managing and improving the country’s resilience against the effects of climate change.

With the multimillion-dollar allocation, Dr. Holness said the infrastructure around the park will be strengthened against adverse weather elements such as hurricanes, heavy rains and drought, to prevent deterioration.

Additionally, gabion walls will be constructed alongside the river and waterways to mitigate land slippage, and a perimeter fence will be erected around the park.

Dr. Holness informed that the rehabilitation of public amenities, such as bathrooms and gazebos, has already been completed.

“And so, the investment that we are doing through the Hills to Oceans project is to return the park to this important purpose in the welfare of the community, which is for you to have a park that you can use and recreate in nature,” the Prime Minister said.

The Castleton Botanical Gardens was established in 1862 and was home to a wide range of species of flora and fauna found locally and in the region.