B.T.L. opens newly renovated Belize City Park

It’s a conspicuous public space in a busy part of town … and today it?s new look was unveiled for all to see. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
After five months of renovations, today Constitution Park was officially reopened to the Belizean public and the primary benefactors were eager to break in the new equipment.

Adopted by Belize Telecommunications Limited in February, the company spent seventy thousand dollars in repairs, paint and grass. Bad weather may have delayed planting but according to chairman of B.T.L.?s executive committee, Dean Boyce, the telecommunications giant is determined to be a good corporate citizen.

Dean Boyce, Chair, B.T.L. Executive Committee
?Most of these projects are not just the initial implementation and the cost of setting it up. The requirement is to maintain it to a certain standard, otherwise it quickly degrades and the benefit is lost. This particular park was talked about three years and we actually set the money aside three years ago. And there were a number of different opportunities and in the meantime we?ve worked on a number of other projects. But this was selected as a really good opportunity to support the local community, and I am pleased that it?s almost finished, subject to the grass being laid.?

Children of different shapes and sizes came from all directions today, which, according to Councillor Laura Esquivel, highlights a seriously lack of recreational facilities in the city.

Laura Esquivel, Belize City Councillor
?We are bringing up a generation of couch potatoes. Our children need to be encouraged to become active. For this, they need open spaces and parks. They also need to build important social skills. Visiting parks allow children to be introduced to new children and learn important skills such as playing fair with others, learning how to meet other people and most importantly, how to share.?

Based partly on the success of B.T.L.?s adoption program, the Belize City Council says it has launched a revitalization project of all parks in the old capital.

Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

According to Boyce, B.T.L.’s next act of corporate kindness will be the adoption of a school.