New Community Centre at Rock Hall St St Thomas

A refurbished Community Centre in St Thomas is in the offing for thousands of residents of that parish.

It will be the former District ‘D’ Magistrate’s Court which is being re-purposed into a Community Centre at a cost of over three hundred thousand dollars.

Confirmation of this from Chief Community Development Officer, John Hollingsworth last weekend at a packed Town Hall meeting at the Rock Hall Freedom Village.

He told the audience the CDD is now moving from planning to the implementation stage of the project, noting that work on the facility should commence any time after July this year.

The CDD Chief says the property was handed over to that entity in 2018 and since then a variety of efforts have been made to get the initiative going, with significant groundwork being done to enable construction to begin.

Mr. Hollingsworth says the architectural drawings have been completed as well as a survey of the property by the Lands and Survey Department.

He says “funds have been allocated for the project this financial year and the necessary administrative steps and procurement have been activated to start construction work on the property from July.”

Mr. Hollingsworth says the government currently manages 35 community centres across the island that serve as hubs for learning, recreation and culture.

He posited that the Community Centre at Rock Hall will soon be added to that list that will bring opportunities for thousands of Barbadians.

“This project is about creating a space that belongs to the people of St Thomas and we want your input to ascertain the programmes you want to see implemented here at the centre that will serve generations to come,” Mr. Hollingsworth indicated.

He says across Barbados the CDD offers computer programmes, balloon artistry, mixology, craft development, cultural training, lesson programmes and spiritual activities, as well as a slew of other initiatives.

The CDD Chief also urged residents to fully utilise the facility, including clubs in the area for a slew of wholesome activities.

“The success of this project will not be measured by the completion of the building but by how effectively the centre serves the people of Rock Hall and surrounding environs,” Mr. Hollingsworth remarked.

Minister of Community Empowerment, the Honourable, Charles Griffith lauded the project noting that “the centre will be a new oasis in St Thomas.”

He also urged residents in the area to form community and study groups to harness the talent of the young people and seniors in communities across St Thomas.

“There is so much that can be achieved by the oasis being put in place here at Rock Hall, St Thomas, “Minister Griffith disclosed.

Minister Griffith also encouraged residents to sign up to the Centre Management Committee that will ensure the new Community Centre remains open after 4:30pm daily to cater to the needs of residents in St Thomas.

“If a Centre Management Committee is in place the centre can remain open until at least 11pm at night and you can plan programmes for the community with certainty,” Minister Griffith revealed.

In this regard Minister Griffith suggested that the new Community Centre can help to bridge the gap between generations by having a positive impact on the lives of thousands of residents as older parishioners share oral history with their younger residents.

“You can form groups and do tours overseas and impact youngsters who may never have the opportunity again to travel on a plane,” Minister Griffith posited.

M.P for St Thomas, Minister of Home Affairs and Information, the Honourable Gregory Nicholls also urged residents to utilise the centre to build, create and innovate.

Minister Nicholls also thanked the CDD and the Sports and Community Empowerment Ministry for following up on his concern raised during the Estimates Debate this year to have a Community Centre up and running in St Thomas.

“One of the things we have lambasted the Dems for is turning the Community Centre here into a court and robbing the community of its centre, because St Thomas is the only parish in Barbados without a community centre, and I am happy that I am part of a government that is correcting this,” Minister Griffith stressed.

He urged residents of Rock Hall Freedom Village to “ensure the centre is an incubator where numerous talent is honed, embraced and brought to the fore encompassing a gamut of community and cultural activities, whilst preserving its cultural heritage.”

Minister Nicholls says the new centre should support lifelong learning like creative arts, community education programmes, vocational training, computer and literacy programmes and business education hubs.

He also urged residents to use it to meet regularly to have consultations on myriad issues, celebrate achievements and address local challenges, whilst promoting health and well-being.