Cecil Charlton Park to boost national pride beyond Labour Day

Aside from today's official Labour Day activities at the Cecil Charlton Park in Manchester, the aesthetic of the facility is expected to be elevated in the coming months in preparation for Jamaica 60. 

Chief executive officer at the Manchester Municipal Corporation, Winston Palmer, said murals of the national heroes and athletes from the parish are now being considered to be established along the Greens of the park. 

There are also to be murals of persons who contributed to the parish as well as national development.

"We have submitted our budgets and designs to the Ministry of Culture and we are awaiting a response. But if we don't receive a response within a particular time, we will provide the funding to get it done in time for Jamaica 60," he said.

While a section of the park remains closed to traffic and is monitored by the park attendants, Palmer said the Greens, as it stands, will not be made inaccessible to the general public. 

"We are not inclined to want to fence the area because we don't want people to think we are locking them out of the park. So the Mandeville Greens will remain open 24/7," he said.

Palmer said the corporation has an ongoing partnership with the Candle in the Dark Homeless Shelter, to which homeless persons who linger on the Greens in the park, are generally referred. 

While many continue to question why they can't access the entire park freely, Palmer indicated that access to the area is measured to preserve the space. 

"We have to make sure that we do that to have some semblance of decency because of the level of indiscipline. If we leave the section with the cenotaph and the fountain, there are persons of unsound mind and children who may want to go in there. So we have a duty to ensure it is monitored," he said.

Additionally, Palmer said the measure prevents people from carrying out illegal activities and dumping garbage in the space. 

Today's activities included the cutting of the lawn area on the Greens, painting kerb walls and gazebos, and pruning of trees. 

The painting of the New Green Round was an extension of the project and was completed by members of the  Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

- Tamara Bailey 

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