St Philip folk push for safe spaces, restored heritage sites

Calls for the restoration of recreational and historical spaces across St Philip have received firm commitments from Prime Minister Mia Mottley and the parish’s parliamentary representatives.

The appeals came on Monday night during the latest Ideas Forum at Princess Margaret Secondary School, where several residents highlighted the need for more spaces for young people and families to gather for relaxation, sporting activities and community development.

Mr Jones. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

A long-standing committee member of the Long Bay 5K run, Mr Jones, called for increased investment in recreational facilities to help keep young people engaged and away from crime.

Dr Sherwin Greenidge. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

Sherwin Greenidge of Gemswick called for the establishment of a community recreation and wellness centre:

“I have some youngsters who are currently residing at Dodds, very talented individuals who previously would have used a field to hone their skills in football and cricket. Also we have some senior persons like myself who try to keep active on evenings and mornings but have to compete with traffic as they walk around the Gemswick area. My proposal is for the use of a piece of land which currently resides in Gemswick, which was used previously, and I’m told that for over 25 years they’ve been trying to get this piece of property to have a recreational centre on it.”

Greenidge said the facility could accommodate both indoor and outdoor activities while providing opportunities for young athletes and residents seeking healthier lifestyles.

“This would allow for a pavilion, a proper playing field, also an indoor or outdoor gym and a walking or jogging track. This would allow those young persons who are talented, who some of them have lost the opportunity to represent Barbados; we have some youngsters now with talent who will seize the opportunity to be able to have a recreational centre available to them.”

The centre could also play a wider role in youth development and serve as a disaster resource facility, he suggested.

Another Gemswick resident, Jim Brown, made an impassioned plea for the long-awaited upgrade of its playing field.

Jim Brown. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

Brown said he has spent more than three decades lobbying successive administrations for improvements, arguing that the space could accommodate cricket, netball, walking activities and provide a safe area for young people.

St Philip South MP Indar Weir said discussions had begun with the then-housing minister Dwight Sutherland regarding the acquisition of land for the proposed recreation centre. He also noted that the prime minister had committed to the project before the 2018 general election, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed implementation.

MP for St Philip South and Former Agriculture Minister, Indar Weir. (Photo Credit: BT)

He reaffirmed his support for delivering the facility and upgrading the playing field:

“I am strongly supporting Jim Brown and Sherwin to make sure we have the facility delivered to the people at Gemswick. This also came up in the last election campaign, and I can also give you the assurance that I discussed it with the prime minister…The youngsters, when I canvassed the area, also reminded me that they needed to make sure they have that facility delivered to them.”

Weir also addressed concerns about safe walking spaces for residents and spoke about possible use of Oldbury Woods for that purpose:

“Oldbury Woods is not owned by the government; Oldbury Woods is privately owned. I have spoken to the owner — I wouldn’t call the name now — and that owner has given me the assurance that there’s a willingness on their part to make sure that we can utilise Oldbury Woods.”

He revealed that discussions were also underway to transform the area into a national mahogany park, complete with vending opportunities:

“Because there are so many mahogany trees, I would like to convert it into a national mahogany park where you clear the whole area, you designate it as a national mahogany park. You tell the story of the mahogany tree, and then what you do is put in the facilities so that people can do the vending, as Sherlon rightfully mentioned, because it’s a very strategic location.”

Betty-Lyn Estwick, long-time St Philip educator. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

Betty-Lyn Estwick called for urgent refurbishment of the Ragged Point Lighthouse and the development of the area into a safe recreational space with benches and landscaping:

“I think the lighthouse needs urgent attention, a place of interest, not some place that I would feel proud to take visitors because I think it needs – it’s looking rusty and old, and some work needs to be done.”

She also highlighted Mount Hillaby and Morgan Lewis Windmill in St Andrew among other heritage sites outside the parish that she believes require restoration and improved maintenance.

Estwick argued that if Barbados is serious about tourism, greater attention must be paid to maintaining the island’s attractions. She called for the return of the Parks and Beaches Commission – the agency replaced by the National Conservation Commission – to oversee these spaces.

“How do we feel comfortable telling visitors, these are our places of interest, and then we don’t take care of them? If tourism is our business, let us take it seriously and let us really play our part. If you bring back parks and beaches and you give them good supervisors, let them see that you’re serious, they can have responsibility for looking after these places and keeping them looking the way they should look.”

Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams supported Estwick’s call for improvements to Ragged Point Lighthouse and other attractions, saying Barbados needed to diversify its recreational and tourism offerings beyond traditional sites.

Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

“There’s so many other areas in Barbados that can be developed relatively easily, and you raised that point. I guarantee you I’m gonna push that point as well on your behalf, but also because I’m very interested in it, and I think we need to provide other options for people to chill out and enjoy themselves.”

St Philip North MP Dr Sonia Browne also supported calls for Ragged Point’s development, noting refurbishment work had previously been carried out but revealed that a proposal had been submitted to create a lighthouse museum centred on its historical significance.

Dr Sonia Browne MP for St Philip North. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

Carl Padmore of Marchfield called for the establishment of a performance space at Princess Margaret Secondary School named in honour of theatre pioneer Osbert McLean.

Resident Carl Padmore. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham)

He also called for greater preservation of Six Roads’ history and recognition of its contribution to the parish’s development.

Addressing residents at the end of the forum, Prime Minister Mia Mottley committed to constructing a proper auditorium/amphitheatre for St Philip during the current term, provided the country is not affected by major disasters that could affect government finances:

“I give you a commitment that we will have a proper amphitheater auditorium-type facility for the people of St Philip that will happen in this term, God willing and God willing that there are no further natural disasters that will take us off track.”

(LG)