Be Resilient
the dream continues
R
egardless of your background, financial status or ethnicity; whether you are 8 years old or 80, you probably have been intrigued by the sheer magnificence and beauty that is Kingston’s Hope Gardens. It is a place for lovers, students, families, party goers and everyone in between. Indeed there is no other green area as famous throughout our island and many of us still have cherished childhood memories of walking through the maze, pitching stones in the lily pond, growling at the lion in the zoo and then topping off a good day with a joy ride in the ‘bumpa-car’ at Coconut Park. The good old days are far behind us. In the last few decades, the gardens and zoo fell into serious neglect and the much beloved Coconut Park amusement area was closed, much to the disappointment of many. The richness of the landscape deteriorated rapidly after this and though the gardens were still open, it was a shadow of its former glory days. But now a wind of change and a renaissance of sorts are sweeping through the tall trees of the Liguanea Plains and thanks to several hardworking individuals and benevolent agencies, there is hope once again for Hope Gardens.
The gardens have been in restoration mode since 1996 but over the past seven years, things have shifted into high gear with several projects at different sections taking place simultaneously. The Digicel Foundation, as part of their effort in the Hope Gardens/Hope Zoo resuscitation project, has raised money through the ‘Hope-Line’ initiative to renovate the shell of the bandstand which is located on the northern end of the expansive lawns. The bandstand was renovated and the re-opening held before many dignitaries with performances by the Jamaica Military Band and other musicians on a glorious Sunday afternoon. Major General Robert Neish, former Executive Director of Digicel Foundation, said that though there is much to be done, all hands are on deck to make the garden’s rejuvenation a reality. “It is a great accomplishment for us, as it signifies bringing back the great entertainment that once existed at Hope Gardens and giving a boost to national pride.” Upon closer inspection, ‘expansive’ does not even begin to describe the grounds. Established in 1873, the Royal Botanical Gardens, commonly called ‘Hope Gardens’ covers 200 acres of land in urban St
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Places & Spaces