North Sound Gardens Community Park Grand Opening

By Christopher Tobutt.

Cayman is blessed when it comes to Children’s playgrounds - safe places in each neighbourhood where children can play and have fun, and make friends. Some of them have fallen into disrepair but all over Newlands and Savannah - five beautiuful play parks have recently been refurbished so well - with lovely sea-blue climbing frames, save slides and swing sets ,so parents can take their children and watch them play, and maybe make some new friends of their own. They are set in the heart of each community, becoming a focal point and creating a real sense of pride and belonging.

Savannah and Newlands elected representatives Wayne Panton and Heather Bodden have been helping to spearhead the refurbishments- with dedicated help from local neighbourhood community groups. The North Sound Gardens Community group were standing by proudly, on Saturday 13 July, because it was their big day too, and there were many hands holding the great big scissors to cut the blue ribbon - the official park opening. But the children weren’t waiting on ceremony - they were already playing - getting down to business, as you might say.

Wayne Panton gave some opening remarks: “You know our motto is Community Creates Country and we take it seriously - this is what it means to us. To be able to invest in a park like this - to provide a facility for the wonderful people in these communities around here and to be able to come out to de-stress, to relax, to get a bit of a mental reset - we all know the stresses we have on our daily lives and our children feel those stresses too.

“So we being able to come out and enjoy themselves  and play in their own communities and near their own homes - its a wonderful thing. So Heather and myself are very pleased to have been able to put this new facility in place, and to replace the basketball court with a real, professional - looking setup, for young people and adults and children.

Its something we’ve been working on over time ....five parks ...four original ones and then the one at the dock launch ramp at the end of North Sound Estates, so that the people of North Sound and Savannah have access to really lovely facilities.   I want to thank Rhonda Kelly who has been a driving force in assisting us to get this done. I also want to thank a friend of mine, who is somebody that is a great contractor, and he has done an amazing job. Thank you to everyone who has been involved.

We also have some plans to put in some bathroom facilities in some of the parks, and some beautification. Its been our pleasure, and, i think, a reflection of our communities that we represent, to put these facilities in place. these represent contributions of our teams from our office as  representatives from Newlands and Savannah. The funding from this has come from our own sources - we haven’t asked for corporate sponsors. I think one of the reasons for that is it leaves us in a better position.”

Heather Bodden said: “The New hardcourt is beautiful. I want to thank Island Paving who have done such a wonderful job. They’ve done this one, and they’ve done the one on Pedro Castle Road which will be open pretty soon.

I want to thank the (North Sound Gardens) Committee members, which consists of Brenda, George Thomas, Fred Dallas, Cornelius, Kisha Wyn, Suzette Stewart, Austin Williams, Andy Skinner and Kerita Whittaker, who have been the driving force of this playground for a while. Please take good care of what’s being handed over to you this afternoon - its yours!