‘Mostly complete’ QE II Park opens; Approx. $1.8M spent
The cutting of the ribbon for the park opening was done yesterday May 31, 2016 under one of the covered Gazebos following remarks by Governor John S. Duncan OBE, Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith and Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4).
Governor Duncan noted that the opening of the park was significant as it is the year of her Majesty’s 90th birthday.
He said for some years the park was more vision than reality; however, the vision for this new facility is now a reality.
Public now able to ‘legally’ use QE II Park!
Governor Duncan added that the new park was inspired to facilitate and promote a healthy lifestyle for the people of the community and for tourists.
“The evident desire to make use of this splendid facility has been very visible to me in recent weeks and months as every morning runners come in under the fence clandestinely and every evening people come to train where I am standing, sneaking under the fence to enjoy the facility, as I say, clandestinely, and families on the weekends.
“So now you can do it legally and that is a great step,” Governor Duncan said to applause.
He added that the renovated children’s playground has been upgraded with more activities and more safety elements.
Tourist destination
Premier Smith recalled that himself and the Governor would look out from their homes on a daily basis to see the progress of the park for the past two years. “And we shared notes at least once a week wondering when is this park going to be finished.”
He said as a doctor he would always tell his patients to find ways to be active in a relaxed environment and this is what the Queen Elizabeth II Park represents. “We take the health of our people seriously and we are concerned with the health of our population and the number of people that are affected by chronic diseases.”
Premier Smith also said he hopes the park will be a destination for tourists and the “idea eventually” is to build a boardwalk from the cruise ship dock to the park.
Incomplete park; Approximately $1.8M spent
Asked whether the park was complete, Hon Vanterpool, speaking to Virgin Islands News Online, said he didn’t have all the details “but as far as I know it is mostly completed. The children’s park is mostly finished up. I think they have it pretty much done. The idea here is that we want to keep it as open as much as possible and the National Parks Trust will take it over to manage and maintain it and when they do they may add a few things to it to make it a little more amiable.”
Minister Vanterpool said he envisages a snackette operation in the park as well since it is a distance away from any vending, adding that it is his recommendation that the limited vending would be to provide refreshments for users of the park and as a fundraising initiative to help maintain the park.
“Not to make it too commercialised but to provide a few amenities.”
Asked about the cost of the park, Hon Vanterpoiol said: “I don’t know the cost of this project as I wasn’t so close to it.”
Meanwhile, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mr Brodrick Penn said the work that remains to be done at the park include labeling the gardens and covering a part of the ghut that is next to the children’s playground. He also said that this did not necessarily have to be done before it is handed over to the National Parks Trust.
Regarding cost, Mr Penn said: “We don’t have the exact cost as yet but I believe the last figure reported was $1.5 million. I would guess that it is now in the region of $1.8 million, but I don’t have the exact figure because obviously we have just concluded works and we haven’t quite finished paying all our bills.”
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22 Responses to “‘Mostly complete’ QE II Park opens; Approx. $1.8M spent”
Hopefully they will finish it.
A cheap cafe selling bacon and eggs in the middle would be great.