Portmore Resilience Park Scheduled for Completion Later This Year

Construction of the Portmore Resilience Park in St. Catherine is scheduled for completion later this year.

This was disclosed by Chairman, Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Norman Brown, during a JIS Think Tank on July 9, where he, along with other representatives, outlined several projects being undertaken by the Corporation.

“We are currently developing and completing the Portmore Resilience Park, which will be one of the finest facilities in the Caribbean when it is completed. We are anticipating its completion later on this year,” said Mr. Brown.

Built on 18 acres of land, the Portmore Resilience Park has been designed to accommodate a broad mix of sporting, recreational and entertainment facilities.

Deputy General Manager for Planning Development and Project Management, Loy Malcolm, said the design of the park was shaped through extensive consultation with Portmore residents.

“We engaged the people of Portmore in a very deliberate way, spoke to them, extracted from them in terms of some of the things they would want to experience and have at their park,” said Ms. Malcolm.

She explained that residents identified sports, wellness and entertainment as key priorities, leading to the inclusion of one of Jamaica’s largest jogging tracks, tennis, volleyball, basketball and pickleball courts, an indoor events complex and three acres of green space for community activities.

“We’re very pleased to see that most, if not all of the things that they requested, will be incorporated in the park,” she said.

Ms. Malcolm added that sustainability was a key consideration throughout the design process. She noted that the park will utilise on-site wells and water-harvesting systems for irrigation, while low-maintenance materials are being used throughout construction to reduce long-term operating costs.

Meanwhile, Deputy General Manager with responsibility for Subsidiary Management and Revenue Generation, Sherlock Glenister, said the park has also been designed with a sustainable business model that will help support its ongoing operation and maintenance.

“We will have commercial spaces available for lease, while the park’s gazebos and event spaces will be available on a rental basis for activities such as birthday parties and gender reveals. These revenues will help support the maintenance of the park,” said Mr. Glenister.

The Portmore Resilience Park is being developed at a cost of $4.4 billion and is funded by the Government of Jamaica.