One year of work to transform a seaside swamp into a recreational space culminated on Saturday with the opening of the spanking new La Jalousie Family Park on the West Coast of Demerara.
Intended to serve the residents of Region Three primarily, hundreds of children and adults attended the event on Saturday which coincided with a Christmas tree light-up and toy distribution by First Lady Arya Ali.
But long before the opening, families from nearby communities had already begun to enjoy the benefits of the new green space.
The First Lady along with the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar highly praised the generous contributions from businesses in the region and the assistance of residents, 13 of whom have already gained employment to manage and upkeep the park.
“Public parks help to preserve the quality and health of our living environment… parks like this one serve to encourage physical fitness and a great alternative to the gym,” the First Lady told the gathering.
She noted too that parks provide a sense of identity and belonging to community members.
“It is where people of different ethnic groups, religious backgrounds and even social class converge to share experiences.”
This park is just one of several green spaces being developed by the First Lady and by extension the government across the country.
Minister Indar joined Mrs. Ali in admonishing residents to ensure that the park is not destroyed and is used for the purposes intended.=
“It took some time and we had a lot of hurdles. Some of those hurdles are management issues but some are just people coming and do wotlessness.
“A few persons can’t be that destructive to break up the things that are here for everybody to use… if you see others destroying the park, you report them,” he added.
The annual Christmas tree light up in the region was also a feature of Saturday’s event and hundreds of children received gifts from the First Lady.
Executed in partnership with the Ministry of Public Works, the La Jalousie Family Park features concrete walkways, seating, a play park and fountain, lights, and restroom facilities, among other amenities.
