Close to half a million dollars is expected to be spent to transform the Harrold and Wilson Pond, off Sir Milo Butler Highway into a flagship national pond, according to Glen Bannister, president of The Bahamas National Trust.
Mr. Bannister said on Tuesday – the first day of a four-day seminar being held at The Bahamas National Trust headquarters – that work on the pond will begin within the first quarter of this year.
He said the workshop was being held to discuss innovative ways to improve and preserve the 25 national parks throughout The Bahamas.
Fifty-two nature enthusiasts from Andros, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Inagua, Exuma and Hawaii are attending the sessions.
“We are presently working on plans to put boardwalks and jogging pathways so that people in [New Providence] will have access to this park because parks, particularly those that you can do activities in like walking, are limited in [New Providence],” Mr. Bannister said.
“We feel that we can make this park real relevant to Bahamians and create wonderful bird viewing towers, bird sanctuaries -and we hope to start executing that plan very soon with the first stage of construction.
“This will be a tremendous park where Bahamians can go every day, particularly on a Sunday with their kids. They can ride their bicycles and not worry about cars and they can skate, jog or walk or simply sit down by the lake and read a book.”
Mr. Bannister said that he hopes the placement of infrastructure and a series of pathways around the perimeter of the Harrold and Wilson Pond would remind Bahamians of the importance of preserving nature and teach them how to appreciate it.
“In the past we have been thought of as that group up there, living apart from the regular Bahamians,” he said. “This has changed. Now we want to make ourselves relevant to Bahamians because we are preserving this land and keeping it for future generations.”
In New Providence alone, there are four national parks. They include the Retreat on Village Road; and the Primeval Forest in southwestern New Providence, which according to park officials is like going back in time 200 years.
Also included is Bone Fish Pond, which protects the southeastern coast of New Providence. Officials say the pond, which is located off Carmichael Road, has the potential for eco-tourism.
Harrold and Wilson Pond is the fourth on the list.
Executive Director of The Bahamas National Trust, Christopher Hamilton, said seminar participants will also discuss how to best manage national parks in the Family Islands.
“We started with a planning process in the Exuma Park over the last couple years and we are essentially wrapping that up,” Mr. Hamilton said.
“Now we are sharing the lessons learned from that as we start the planning process in Abaco and Andros for the national parks which are there,” he said. “The parks are so important for Bahamians.”
By: Royanne Forbes-Darville, The Bahama Journal
