Scranton Park akin to Central Park in NY, says minister

(CNS): The groundbreaking for Scranton Park will take place on 12 September in Kenneth Bryan MP’s George Town Central constituency. The tourism minister, who has championed the ambitious project, even though it does not fall under his portfolio, said it will be like Central Park in New York, providing facilities for everyone in the biggest and best green park in the country.

He said its purpose was to give something back to the wider community, especially seniors and families, as it will have senior and youth centres on a park site that could grow if land becomes available.

Speaking on Radio Cayman on Friday, the minister urged everyone to attend the groundbreaking ceremony because the full plans, final architect’s design, and rendering will all be unveiled at the event. Bryan said that it was much more than a park, and the senior centre would be an intrinsic part of the project.

“I have been working very, very hard for a very long time to complete this park,” he said, before noting the length of time it had taken to steer the project through the procedural bureaucracy. He said work has now started on what he said was “for all of Cayman” before admitting it was a “large investment”. To date, some CI$1.2 million has been spent on the project, with far more to come.

“It’s almost like Central Park in New York,” he said. “Obviously, we see a lot of growth and development happening in town and my goal… is to secure that memory and the green space for the public…as we will see people move out of the area.”

There will be walking access from the Government Administration Building for civil servants and other workers in town, offering green space in the middle of George Town, with sporting facilities as well as the youth and senior centres.

Explaining that the vision for the park came from the local community, Bryan said it had taken time to acquire the land to secure the future of the existing neighbourhood park and expand it into this multi-million dollar project.

Bryan said the CIG wanted to expand the green space at the park and could acquire land when it becomes available around the site. He urged people living in the area who are thinking of moving out of George Town as the capital develops to approach the government before they sell.

He said he didn’t want people to move out of Central GT, but if it had to happen, he hoped people would consider selling to the government so it could expand the green space to counter the ongoing development of the capital.

The groundbreaking will take place at the site from 5:00pm on Thursday, 12 September, and will be open to the public.