St William Grant Park facelift welcome
THE EDITOR, Sir: WHEN THE St William Grant Park was finally reopened, I hurriedly visited the facility to witness first-hand what improvements had been made. I had to use the lavatory and went there first.
To my absolute amazement, I was greeted with, “Good morning, sir,” with a rather pleasant countenance from the attendant. In response to my exposed $50, she stated, “We only ask for a contribution. How much are you contributing?”
What! Only a contribution? Looking on in disbelief, I asked her if the $50 fee no longer existed. She insisted, “Only a contribution, sir.” Looking a picture of professionalism in her neat attire, constantly uttering thank you and good morning to all with whom she came into contact, the attendant oozed confidence.
My amazement went up several notches as I entered the lavatory. I am accustomed to impeccably clean lavatories at more upscale locations. However, every corner of the space was so spotlessly clean and smelled so good. On exiting, I felt like I had to contribute another $50 and told the attendant I liked what I saw and enjoyed the facilities.
THE ROVING TEAM
A group of focused men and women clad in safety vests are the architects of the restoration process at the park. They work tirelessly from as early as 7 a.m. to have the park ready for its early visitors.
They sweep every crevice and corner of the facility to the extent that the surface looks brand new. They go at it throughout the day to ensure the park maintains its flawlessly clean appearance.
So sharp are the workers in the execution of their duties that no garbage of any sort is allowed to settle on the ground, as it is quickly ‘arrested’ and ‘detained’ in a large bag to be later disposed of.
The St William Grant Park has the potential of offering a lot more to visitors than just a place for relaxation and catching up with friends. It has the capacity to surpass international standards in many respects. The facility caters to users within its proximity, but also attracts visitors from afar, including overseas.
The visionary mayor and her team was adamant that the park should offer users an experience of substance that will leave an indelible impression on them.
Thanks to Kingston Mayor Angela Brown Burke, Jamaicans will imminently be enjoy a world-class family park, specially tailored for the family with themed areas such as the Mosaic space, Reggae Avenue, the main family monument, tuck shop, walking trail, and lavatory. With such a phenomenal development, the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation is making an enormous contribution to the restoration of downtown Kingston. Well done, Your Worship. ERROL HASTINGS intellect_snr@hotmail.com