B.T.L. adopts Constitution Park

Sooner or later, every major company finds its charitable niche. In the case of B.T.L., that special interest seems to be parks.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning, official groundbreaking ceremonies were held in Belize City to mark the adoption of Constitution Park by Belize Telecommunications Limited.

During the event, the communications company unveiled its plans for the area.

Karen Bevans, General Manager, B.T.L.
?We will put new benches, new playgrounds, swings, slides and we?ll open the new entrance on the corner of Johnson Street and Cemetery Road. If you can recall long ago, there was an entrance there with a police booth. We?ll open that again and of course we?ll put many lights around the park, because that adds to the security of the kids. Eventually too, we?ll put a stage in the middle for cultural performances.?

According to B.T.L., the initial adoption contract will last for five years. General Manager Karen Bevans says the company hopes to continue this initiative in other areas of the country.

Karen Bevans
?We started this programme in 1997 with the adoption of the B.T.L. Northside Park and it has proven a very successful project. We see the entire community benefiting from a project of this nature and B.T.L. is very pleased once we see that our investments and the projects that we undertake for the community benefit the majority of Belizeans.?

?We will expand in recreational facilities, but whether we will continue with the parks or move into the area of basketball courts, which we have received many requests for, we have still to decide on that. But we?ll definitely continue to develop the community with recreational facilities that could give an avenue for our youths to go and relax, enjoy and keep away from other activities that would not contribute positively to the society.?

Renovation work at the site should begin next week, finish within two months, and cost approximately seventy thousand dollars. But according to Bevans, the historical element of the park, including this podium symbolising the days of public meetings, will be preserved.

B.T.L. has already adopted two other parks, one on the north side of Belize City and a second in Placencia.