A place to play and recreate

EDITOR: The Union Island I knew as a child was a large playground. Every village had open spaces inviting children to play. Whether it was the mountain side or ridge, the beach or the sea, all beckoned us to play.

There were pastures in Valley, Badeau, Campbell, Panfield, Rawfall, Misstoast, Rapete, Mispay, Saltpond, PointLookOut, Richmond, Belmont, Linken Hill and undeveloped vacant lots.

The school yard served us well and we played there before school, at recess, during lunch hour, and after school. Since the construction of the new Mary Hutchinson Primary, much of the school yard play area has been lost. Salt Pond where sports were held fell victim to climate change with its rise in sea level. Almost all of the spaces in the villages are now fenced in the name of progress and development.

The new Union Island Secondary School could have been designed to maximize the play area but after scattering the buildings on the available land space, the remaining play area is being confiscated to build a Tec/Voc Center.

Fruit trees on hillsides and valleys attracted students who freely gathered fruits, usually after school or on weekends. Most of these trees died due to old age and lack of care and have not been replaced. The roaming stray animals ensured that any young replacement plants were destroyed. Much of the investment of the resident agricultural officer of colonial days no longer exists. Even the prickly pear is not as abundant as before. The fruit makes a rich red nutritious drink.

Descendants of Oliver William Span are developing one acre at the Span Gardenfield Park. When completed it should have a small play area to accommodate cricket and football. Fruit trees would seek to provide for the traditional foraging instincts of children.

Unionites abroad constructed a children’s playground on the compound of the old police station, but adequate maintenance is needed for it to serve its purpose.

Since the land seems to limit play areas, perhaps the sea would make up. Some of the beaches have been lost due to sea level rise and erosion. Many of the sea grapes have been lost, but there is hope yet. Emancipation Park, gifted by Mary and Wycliff Hutchinson to their heirs, at Campbell, provides open space, beach and sea moss harvesting. The world’s best beach at Richmond is having its environs enhanced by the Union Island Tourist Board with picnic tables and a children’s playground.

There is a need to restore some of the lost beaches on the north coast by replacing the sand and replanting the sea grapes. Such places for us to play are worth the investment. And places to play are not needed only in Union Island but throughout our country.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD