Grace Kennedy adopts roundabout
Times are hard, but today one company has pledged to dig a bit deeper into their pockets to maintain a piece of the jewel. It falls under the Belize City Council’s “Adopt a Park Programme”. But in this case, it is not quite as big as a park – in fact, it’s just a roundabout which will hereafter be called the “Grace Kennedy Roundabout”. According to Councillor for Parks and Playgrounds, Laura Esquivel and General Manager of Grace Kennedy Belize Limited, Alberto Young, the agreement provides for an opportunity that will be mutually beneficial to both parties.
Alberto Young, General Manager, Grace Kennedy Belize Ltd.
“We have an opportunity for Grace Kennedy to adopt one of the roundabouts. The closest one going up the Northern Highway to our place of business which is at two and a half miles Northern Highway next to the Roses building. We had been in discussion with the Belize City council to adopt one of these roundabouts and recently PACT gave it up and we decided to adopt it as we have always wanted to do that. It’s one of the initiatives that the management and staff at Grace Kennedy have always been looking forward to. We won’t put up ads, we’ll make it tasteful because it’s not an advertising roundabout, it will be more so of an opportunity for us, as I said, to participate in community and keep up the environment and keep the area clean but also to put up our signs and we’ll keep it tasteful. It’s not about promoting a special every week or so on, it’s just highlighting that this is Grace Kennedy and its employees have taken the challenge of maintain this roundabout for the community.”
Laura Esquivel, Councillor for Parks, Playgrounds
“This park was previously adopted by PACT. They had adopted it for a period of two years under one of their special anniversary projects that was going on. The two years has now lapsed and I had recalled that Mr. Young from Grace Kennedy had indicated to me that they were interested in adopting a roundabout. So I heard that this one was now available I contacted Mr. Young and I said guess what a big one is available and close to Grace Kennedy’s headquarters also if they were interested. And so that’s how it came about.”
Marion Ali
“How does the Council ensure that these people don’t just attach their names or their signatures to a piece of paper, that they live to what they promise?”
Laura Esquivel
“We do inspections on these kind of things. Before they can put up any kind of signage or before they can make any changes they need to submit those plans to the council and within the agreement it does say that if they don’t live up to their side of the bargain we can give them a three month notice saying hat we intend to take away the adoption agreement because of non-performance. So there is that feel safe within the adoption agreement that we can look towards.”
Alberto Young
“Over time the employees of Grace Kennedy will participate in keeping it up; in painting. There are several things that we need to get done here. We’re envisioning a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. We used to have these things in the past and its something that I think we’re interested in keeping up and so is the Belize City Council.”
Esquivel says there are still parks in Belize City available for adoptions and businesses or individuals who wish to sign one of these agreements with the Council can call their offices.
