Walker's Place of Safety rising from the ashes

Less than two months after fire destroyed the Walker's Place of Safety on Lyndhurst Crescent in St Andrew, plans for the building of a state-of-the-art facility to replace it are well in motion.

Two children died in the blaze while some 30 others have since been housed at three other facilities.

But last Friday, chief executive officer of the Child Development and Family Services Rosalee Gage-Grey announced that having received tremendous support from several entities, more than $6 million in cash and kind has been collected for the new facilities.

Gage-Grey's comment came as she collected a cheque for $250,000 from Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips.

Philips, who is the member of parliament for St Andrew East Central - in which Walker's Place of Safety is located, had visited the facility in the immediate aftermath of the fire and pledged to contribute to its rebuilding.

"We are going to donate a quarter-million dollars, which we are hoping that the Lions Club will use to open a special account that private organisations can contribute to facilitate the rebuilding of the place of safety and the relocation of the children," said Phillips then.