Banana Ground to benefit from road rehabilitation
Published:Wednesday | December 22, 2021 | 12:06 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
The communities of Bellefield and Banana Ground in Manchester will benefit from new development projects and road repairs come January 2022, according to Mario Mitchell, councillor of the Manchester Central division.
Mitchell told The Gleaner last Saturday that he is overjoyed that these long-standing issues in the community, which he has been working to resolve for some time now, are nearing resolution, with construction set to begin next year.
After receiving the first half of an overall contribution of $17 million issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to finance road renovations, Mitchell told The Gleaner that sheet patch work will be done on roads extending from Bellefield Square to Banana Ground, addressing the current deplorable state of the road surface.
Currently, in preparations for January’s start, the municipal corporation is looking to select a suitable contractor.
Elaine Thompson Herah, Banana Ground’s star athlete who currently holds the coveted title of being the fastest woman alive, has also contributed to plans to upgrade and revitalise her community.
She will also continue to lend a hand in other projects which have not been disclosed by Mitchell through her newly established foundation, dubbed ‘The Fast Elaine Foundation’.
Community Development Committee President for the Bellefield community, Michelle Casanova, says she is appreciative of the initiative taken to fix what has been years of inconvenience to locals.
“The road is needed, it’s very bad ... it would be good, because we need the road,” she exclaimed, especially along the main road which runs from Williamsfield to Banana Ground and back to Cumberland Road.
Though Casanova had expected to hear news of a full resurfacing of the roadway, she noted that she is satisfied with the work to be done.
Casanova stated that over the years, workmen have patched the potholes but frequently left some sections unattended.
“If we get like a full resurface, that would be much better, because when you patch one side, another pothole [is discovered],” she said.
The next phase of the plans for the community, come next year, is to renovate an old clinic which offered prenatal care to expectant mothers.
Mitchell explained that he plans to expand the facility to provide a health centre and a community centre.
“What we want to do is to expand it massively with an additional room into a comprehensive health centre, and also a resource and community centre,” explained Mitchell of the current one-room building.
Casanova said this news is warmly welcomed, as its establishment will help to alleviate the congestion experienced at the Bellefield Health Centre.
This overcrowding is as a result of persons from Williamsfield, Dayton, Blue Mountain, Banana Ground and Coffee Grove visiting the centre, as there are no other facilities nearby for them to get medical attention.
Residents of Banana Ground will also have a central area within walking distance of their homes, which will significantly shorten their journey downhill and allow them to avoid the additional expense of taking a taxi.
The municipal corporation has priced and drawn up plans for the facility. Mitchell is hoping that corporate Jamaica will assist with the project.