Westchester in Portmore gets Community Centre

Residents of Westchester and neighbouring Portmore communities are benefiting from a newly refurbished community centre, initiated by the Social Development Commission (SDC) to encourage partnerships with stakeholders.

The centre, refurbished in December at a cost of some $2 million, houses a homework centre, an office for a Justice of Peace and a meeting place for five groups in the community – the Westchester Citizens' Association, Hand Farm United Group, Westchester Senior Citizen's Club, Westchester Drum Corp and the Westchester Youth Group.

SDC Parish Manager in Portmore, Patrick Watson, told JIS News that the refurbishing of the centre was initiated by members of the citizens' association (WCA).

"They approached the Social Development Commission, through the Community Development Officer, to get the project off the ground. We assisted in preparing a project proposal, with an objective to seek possible sponsorship for this project," he said.

The SDC then sought private sector sponsorship, after requests to well-known funding agencies failed. According to Mr. Watson, Churches Cooperative Credit Union and LIME were the only two companies willing to fund the project.

"We now have a well-rehabilitated community centre, which is used as a homework centre for the children attending basic and primary schools in the area," he noted. The facility is opened evenings and weekends.

Work done by LIME include the renovation of the bathroom area, renovation of the reading room, including the installation of shelves stocked with text and story books, and the setting up of workstations for computers. Additionally, computers with Internet service were provided, so that students can access the Internet to do their homework.

Other contributions from LIME were: the replacement of a bus shed situated close to the centre; and the painting of a perimeter wall around the facility.

Mr. Watson said that members of a maintenance committee, set up to manage the centre, have pledged to maintain the facility.

"Once they take ownership, in terms of maintenance, it will never be vandalized. They have meetings to plan fundraising activities, they will decide when it should be painted, who is responsible for what. So, it will be a well-run operation," he said.  

Contact: E. Hartman Reckord