IMAGINE LIVING in a community where not even Federal Express or Western Union courier services can find you. Well, that is what prompted residents of two communities to petition the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) to have their areas given recognisable names.
Residents living along the "path" known as 47 Red Hills Road and in the area in the Maxfield Park division known unofficially as "Rome" campaigned to have their area named after Minister of Transport and Works, Dr. Peter Phillips as an expression of gratitude for repairs which have been carried out in some sections of the communities.
Proposers of the resolution, Councillor for the Maxfield Park Division, Trevor Bernard, and Councillor Sybil Trowers (Hagley Park) told Tuesday's meeting of the KSAC that residents had long complained that letters and visitors could not find them.
"Several people are using the same mail boxes and some complain that others are taking their letters," said Councillor Bernard of the Red Hills area, where plans are in place to have zinc fences replaced with block walls. Residents will also receive land titles but will have to go to the KSAC on Church Street, Kingston to buy gate numbers among other things.
Councillor Bernard, who also chairs the KSAC's Building and Town Planning Committee, pointed out that the renaming exercise will also be followed by the replacement of zinc fences with block walls and "residents will be getting land titles for these places. They also have to come to the KSAC to buy gate numbers".
The proposers' divisions were not left out as popular paths in "Rome" will soon have names and numbers so even Red Riding Hoods and Little Bopeeps could find their way home.
The path leading from Rousseau Road and curving to the main bridge across Schumacher Gully will be named Phillips Drive. The first path leading from Maxfield Avenue and nearest to Rousseau Road and terminating at the Schumacher Gully will be named Phillips Terrace.
A second path leading from Maxfield Avenue and curving at the edge of Schumacher Gully to end at Kew Lane will become known as Phillips Avenue. The third path leading from Maxfield Avenue and terminating at the proposed Phillips Avenue will become Phillips Boulevard.
Phillips Heights will be the name assigned to the path leading from the proposed Phillips Drive and terminating at Schumacher Gully in line with the proposed Phillips Terrace while the path leading from Phillips Drive and across the Schumacher Gully to Kew Lane will be known as Phillips Street.
Although some councillors wanted the streets named after councillors for the areas in recognition of their daily input into improving their divisions and others were upset that the Red Hills resolution was developed without consulting Councillor for the area, Beverley Prince, the council agreed with Councillor Trowers that the renaming was appropriate because it was time for these Jamaicans "to hear (even) the postman ringing at their gate."
