APPROXIMATELY two years and three months after ground was broken for the construction of a multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art park in the community of Maverley in St Andrew, the space has become an eyesore and a haven for criminals.

The development has angered residents, who have increased their appeals to political representatives to give them the oasis they were promised, once and for all.

The park was to be built on an open lot at the intersection of West Main Drive and Molynes Road.

So far, the only thing that has been done towards construction of the park is the erection of perimeter fencing and the planting of trees within its borders.

Currently the space has grown into a mini forest and a haven for thieves, according to residents.

After numerous complaints from disgruntled residents that the project, which began on August 23, 2022, had stalled for too long, Councillor Andrew Harris (Jamaica Labour Party, Hughenden Division) blamed the contractor.

Harris had given an assurance on August 10 this year that work would resume the following week after issues with the contractor were sorted out. However, on Wednesday this week Harris again blamed the contractor for the lack of movement on the project. Therefore, Harris said, other arrangements have had to be made.

“We brought in some people from Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). They are coming on board with some support. They sent their consultants and I met with them at the park last week. You will see some work starting shortly, because they promised me that they want to get the work started before the [Christmas] holidays.

“The problems we’ve been having have to do with contractual arrangements. The contractor who had it first seemed to have taken on more than he could chew and hence our project was put on the back burner. They have started to change contractors and we are getting some additional funds,” Harris told the Jamaica Observer.

Harris not only spoke to issues having to do with the project’s delay but touched on the topic of water leaking from a National Water Commission (NWC) pump house for near six weeks now. The pump house is located on the edge of the open lot, close to the intersection with Washington Boulevard and Molynes Road. The water leaking from the pump house runs like a river inside the open lot and floods the space. It also flows down West Main Drive, flooding the street and contributing to the creation of potholes.

“The leakage is unfortunate because I have reported it no less than three to four times. Where the NWC plant is, that is where the leak is coming from. They said they fixed it and I think it stopped for a couple days, but when I checked with them again, they said that somebody is tapping on to the system trying to steal water,” Harris said.

“I can’t verify it, but that is what they said, hence the leak again. But they assured me that they are sending back a team to come and correct it again. Around four weeks ago was the first time I reached out to them. I have reached out to them no less than four times. They said they are coming back, so I hope that they do,” Harris added.

While Harris expressed hope, the residents are demanding action. They said they no longer have an open space where they can participate in activities beneficial to them. Additionally, they complain that criminals sometimes hide in the thick foliage, from where they carry out robberies.

Added to that, they said the water, which has been flooding the space, has been creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

“I feel bad sometimes because I have to walk in water when I am going to work,” one woman told the Observer.

One elderly woman, referring to the mini forest, said, “This is a wicked act. Look at the place. Look at what we have to be living with. People have to walk through here and nobody wants to walk through here because they are afraid, because it is just pure bush. We need action. This is here too long now.”

One angry male resident described the area as an eyesore and blamed former Member of Parliament Dr Nigel Clarke, who left the country last week to take up a deputy managing director post at the International Monetary Fund.

“Thousands of gallons of water being wasted and we will have to pay for it. Not even fogging takes place and a pure mosquitoes. The park never stay so. You are afraid to walk through because the park turn a forest and dumping ground where anybody can run out on you,” the man said.

Ethnie Miller Simpson, the People’s National Party caretaker for the St Andrew North Western constituency, bemoaned what she said was destruction of the roads due to constant flow of water.

“It has persisted now for just about six weeks, and we are now seeing a deterioration of the road. Further up you will see where it is being dug up and it is affecting the vendors and other people. This is a concern because it is thousands of gallons of clean water that has just been wasting. Somebody has to pay for this, and ultimately it is the taxpayers who pay,” Miller Simpson said.

“The water on the road is causing problems for everybody. You have persons who have their bars and other businesses on the side of the road and people are not coming to buy from them. It is affecting them in terms of their economics. Nobody not going to stop and buy food or have a drink because there is constant water running down the road. In the evenings, it’s just pure mosquitoes. In the last month, I think we have only heard the fogging vehicle come around one time.

“Millions of dollars have been spent and we see no evidence of that in the park. The residents are very upset about it because they are saying children used to have a homework centre over there and it was shut down to facilitate construction of the park,” she said.