The Ministry of Tourism & Ports proudly hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for the highly anticipated Central Scranton Park on Thursday (12 September). This is touted as a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to enhance community spaces and improve the quality of life in the country’s capital of George Town. The groundbreaking was attended by government officials, local community leaders, and residents who have long awaited this important development.
Located on Ms. Frances Street just off Shedden Road, the future Central Scranton Park is set to become a vibrant hub for relaxation, recreation, and community gatherings. The project is a key initiative by the Ministry of Tourism & Ports, reflecting its commitment to creating sustainable and accessible green spaces in the Cayman Islands.
In his remarks, Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Minister for Tourism & Ports, expressed his enthusiasm for the project stating, “Today marks a pivotal moment for George Town and our entire community. The creation of Central Scranton Park has been a long time coming, and I am thrilled to see this vision finally coming to life. This park will not only provide a beautiful and welcoming space for our residents and visitors but will also serve as a testament of our commitment to enhancing the quality of life for everyone in the Cayman Islands who choose to utilise this space.”
The park’s design, jointly developed by the Governments Public Works Department (PWD) and architectural firm Chalmers Gibbs, integrates natural elements with modern amenities to create a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. “We approached the design of Central Scranton Park with a deep respect for the community’s needs and the island’s natural beauty. Our goal was to create a park that is a place for leisure, wellness & exercise and community events. We are honoured to contribute to a project that will have such a lasting impact on the community” said Sean Evans, PWD’s Senior Manager of Consultancy Services.
President of the Central Scranton Committee, Dale Ramoon, also shared his thoughts at the groundbreaking, “This park has been a dream of ours for many years, and today, we are happy to be witnessing such a significant step towards making this a reality. I truly believe Central Scranton Park will be a space where families, especially young people and our elderly can come
together to enjoy wholesome activities, as well as to participate in variety of community events.
We look forward to seeing the positive impact this park will have on our community, and I want to thank the Ministry of Tourism & Ports and everyone who has supported this project thus far,” he said.
Featuring a community centre for seniors, a youth centre for after school programmes along with manicured landscaping, walking paths, a pond & wishing well, a multi-purpose sports court and a calisthenics area among its many amenities, the Central Scranton Park will offer something for everyone in the community.
In celebrating the official launch Minister Bryan noted that a number of individuals and organisations had contributed to the park’s development, working diligently to bring this project’s design to life. These include PWD’s design team, comprised of Senior Manager of Consultancy Services, Sean Evans, and:
• Dwayne Atherley, Architect
• Alex Frederick, Architectural Technologist
• Adrian Grant, Structural Engineer
• Darryl Joseph, MEP Engineer
Additionally, Project Management services were provided by Keisha Callender and Jody-Ann Griffiths-Reid, under the supervision of Mr. Dennis Harris, Senior Manager, Project
Management (PWD).
Minister Bryan also recognised the contribution of Kelsey Vitullo from Chalmers Gibbs, and Robert and Jeremy Bodden from Robson Construction and Russell Day from McAlpine who have been contracted to develop the project.
Noting that several landowners had allowed the government to purchase their properties in order to expand the parks footprint, Minister Bryan expressed his appreciation to Capital One, Evert Lenward Scott, Miss Eunice Seymour, Benjamin Seymour, Steve McField and Frank Schilling. He also made particular mention of previous government members, and thanked the Hon. Kurt Tibbetts, Sir Alden McLaughlin, Miss Lucille Seymour, MP Barbara Connolly, Mr. Frank McField and others, for their assistance along the journey which has led to this point. For more information on the Central Scranton Park project, please contact the Ministry of Tourism & Ports at 244-2420 or pr.motp@gov.ky.