Family Park opens in South Sound

Ariane Dart, from the Dart Foundation, stands next to
expert landscape designer Sandy Urquart, who
designed the new park. 

All the family, but especially the children, enjoyed the
Dart Family Park’s opening on Saturday 9 April.

Friday,  April 15, 2005

The fourth of five public district parks was officially opened with a family fun day on Saturday, 9 April.

The new park is part of the ‘Growing Communities’ project, a public/private partnership founded in 2001, which combines Government donated land with design and construction donated by the Dart Foundation. 

Scholar’s Park in West Bay was the first Growing Communities Park to be constructed, followed by the Capt. George Dixon Park in East End, and then North Side’s Jarold Smith Park. 

Due to support by the Dart Foundation of Growing Communities, Government made the decision to name the new park after the Dart family – ‘Dart Family Park.’

The Park is in a scenic waterfront location situated on South Church Street on the way to South Sound. 

Construction of the park started in early 2004 with the official opening originally planned for October 2004. However, necessary repairs due to hurricane damage delayed the opening until this month.

All the families were given special balloons and T-shirts as they lined up to come in the gates and some 500 seedlings, grown in the Dart owned West Indian Club Nurseries, were also given away, including the rare ‘Broombrush False Willow,’ along with a leaflet about plant care. 

The day’s festivities included face painting, a bouncy castle, cotton candy, popcorn, and snow cones. There was also a steel- band that played music until sunset. Children could be seen running and playing, holding their balloons aloft.

The landscaped park is full of interesting trees and shrubs, and has been designed by expert landscaper Sandy Urquart, who had obviously spent much time and thought in choosing plants whose shapes complemented the subtle contours of the park.

Several speakers attended the event, including HE the Governor Bruce Dinwiddy, Dr the Hon Frank McField, JP, Minister of Community Services, Youth, Sports, and Gender Affairs, and Hon McKeeva Bush, Leader of Government Business.

“Growing Communities is all about family, community spirit and district pride,” said John Papesh, representative for the Dart Foundation. “It is our hope that the community embraces these public parks as their own to ensure they it will be maintained and enjoyed for generations to come.

“It is a great honor to have the George Town park named after the Dart family. Given that the family’s philanthropic efforts are particularly dear to them, I know they were moved by Government’s kind gesture and are sincerely appreciative,” added Mr Papesh.

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