Green Spaces – Contributors to Health and Wellness

As part of Vision 2030, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is seeking to strengthen the advancement of health among Jamaicans by encouraging individuals to “seek environments that minimise exposure to hazards and practice healthy lifestyles…”.

Green spaces are areas of vegetated land within urban areas. These spaces are set apart for recreational use, for example, community gardens, parks and playing fields. As population density increases, atmospheric temperatures rise and air quality declines, increasing the need for green spaces which help to alleviate the effects of these conditions.

Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP)

The Government, through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, plans to integrate green spaces into several inner-city areas. This will be done under the Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP), which seeks to enhance access to basic urban infrastructure and services and support increased community safety in selected communities.
The first of such communities will be August Town in St. Andrew. Work is scheduled to begin in 2022 and will include enhancing the aesthetics of the Hermitage to August Town main road, landscaping, construction of a gazebo and installing a metal enclosure for solid waste.

Urban Spaces Programme

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC), under its Urban Spaces Programme, endeavours to build a park in every parish across Jamaica. The programme’s first development, Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay, St. James, was completed in May 2021 and is used for recreational and sporting activities. The second project, Climate Change Park in Portmore, St. Catherine, is currently under construction.

For additional information, contact:
Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation
The Towers Building
25 Dominica Drive
Kingston 10
Tel: 876-926-1590
Fax: 876-926-4449
Email: info@megjc.gov.jm
Website: www.megjc.gov.jm
Instagram and Twitter: @megjc_jm