Plans Advanced for Development of Resilience Park in Portmore

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is advanced in the development of a Resilience Park in Portmore, St. Catherine.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, advised that ground will be broken this year for the park, which will be developed on 25 acres of land.

“Funding is in place [and] the designs are being finalised; it will be a magnificent park,” he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony in Portmore on August 26, for the construction of the Sandown Palms housing development.

Mr. Holness pointed out that Emancipation Park in the Corporate Area will act as a standard for the Resilience Park’s construction and maintenance.

“The National Housing Trust (NHT) spends quite a bit of its resources on maintaining the [Emancipation] Park and keeping it in pristine condition,” he stated.

“We’re going to do the same in Portmore. A massive investment it will be… so that the people of Greater Portmore can have this high-quality recreational space,” the Prime Minister added.

The park forms part of the infrastructure projects slated for development this year, as Jamaica celebrates its 60th year of Independence, and will coincide with preparations to declare Portmore the island’s 15th parish.

Meanwhile, Mr. Holness said the Government remains committed to preserving green spaces.

“Though we are developing the land, we are making provisions for green and recreational spaces within the development. Whatever we do in development, we must leave green areas,” he emphasised.

“We need to create more areas for trees, areas where people can have leisure and areas that are safe for people to meet and have fun,” the Prime Minister said.