Community Park Opened in Golden Grove, St. Thomas

An empty lot in Golden Grove, St. Thomas, which was once overgrown with bushes and wild cane, has been transformed into a beautiful park by the St. Thomas Parish Council and residents of the community.
The facility was officially opened on Friday (May 26) at a ceremony held in the vicinity of the park. Following the ceremony, Mayor of St. Thomas, Councillor Joan Spencer cut the ribbon to signal the facility open and unveiled a plaque bearing the name of the park.
Work on the park was done by landscape designer Marcia Burnett, who devoted her time free of cost towards the development of the park. She was assisted by residents led by Patsy Wong, who helped in clearing the land and preparing it for landscaping.
Additionally, the sign was done by Desmond Christie, while the concrete benches and tables were built by Carlton Mendes. The swings were donated by the St. Thomas Sugar Company.
Bringing greetings at the function, Mayor Spencer, congratulated the Councillor of the Dalvey Division and community members for their effort in making the project a success.
“We are longing for similar parks in other communities and I’m hoping that other Councillors could emulate what Councillor Steele has done,” she said.
The Mayor told the residents that the Parish Council would continue to work with the community in maintaining the park as well as to help in developing other parks in the parish.
Meanwhile, guest speaker and Chairman of the St. Thomas Parish Development Committee, Franklyn Holness appealed to the residents to take care of the young trees and flowers in the park. He said that the maintenance of the park must be an ongoing process and the “first sign of trouble” should be reported and dealt with by persons in charge of the facility.”This did not happen overnight but it could be destroyed overnight,” he added.
“It’s a beauty,” Councillor Beresford Steele told JIS News during an interview after the ceremony.
Mr. Steele, whose idea it was to build the park, said a committee would be formed to manage it. “This is how the Local Government Reform Programme operates. It is not from the top to bottom, again, it is from the bottom up and when the community is involved, I think we will have the park running properly,” he said, adding that the programme involved the participation of citizens.
He said that he had discussed the project with residents and received their approval before approaching the Parish Council for assistance. The facility will be used by residents of Stokes Hall and Golden Grove communities.