Dart Realty on Saturday opened a refurbished and rebuilt Scholar’s Park in West Bay, marking a bright afternoon with food, face painting,  races and all the popcorn and snow cones anyone could eat.

The noon opening unveiled a nearly new park, with rebuilt swings, sturdy fencing, landscaped gardens, picnic tables, pavilions and plenty of shade and green grass, rounded out with  sparkling fresh public rest rooms.

“This is the first big District Park we are doing,” said Dart Communications Manager Lynn Smith-Moore, who last year helped oversee reconstruction and reopening of smaller neighbourhood parks in Scranton, the Swamp and Windsor Park.

“We are starting with this and will spread out to do all the districts,” she said, “then stay involved with the communities, but instead of providing what we think they might want, we’ll ask people what they would like to see, and then do our best to facilitate that.”

While Premier and West Bay MLA McKeeva Bush had been scheduled to appear – accompanied by fellow district representatives Rolston Anglin, Cline Glidden and Eugene Ebanks, alongside Community Affairs Minister Mike Adam – he was forced to stay away, pleading illness. “He said he wasn’t feeling too well,” organisers said.

Still, fresh off her 17 December Christmas party for local children, West Bay neighbourhood officer Sharon Baillie was present, enjoying the sunshine and the recognition of the community.

“These are my people and this is the only recognition I need,” she said, smiling at the crowds and their greetings. “I work for their benefit, trying to make things just a little better,” she said.

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