THE ST. THOMAS Parish Council is working with the Municipal Parks and Markets (MPM) and community groups to construct four community parks by the end of the financial year.
Already, first phase work has started on the development of a facility at Dumfries in Morant Bay. Others are to be constructed at South Haven and Albion. According to Secretary/Manager of the St. Thomas Parish Council, Clinton Gordon, the main objective of the project was to provide a place where children and adults could relax and engage in sporting and cultural activities. The Council's contribution to the project is $1.1 million, which represents 10 per cent of the $11 million collected yearly in property taxes.
FIRST PHASE
Mr. Gordon said the first phase of the park at Dumfries involved the cleaning and fencing of the empty lot to keep out stray animals, after which the Council would again meet with the community to decide on beautification and landscaping works.
"Nothing you do as a Council will be successful unless you do it in tandem with your community," Mr. Gordon said, adding that discussions were held with members of the community before starting the project.
He informed that several blocks of empty lots had been identified in the South Haven and Albion districts, but the Council would first have to meet with the community to decide on a suitable location for these parks. He noted that the residents were "very supportive" of the project and some had already come up with ideas regarding the maintenance and development of the parks.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gordon said, beautification and maintenance works were ongoing at the Morant Bay and Bowden round-abouts by the MPM.
