Nassau, The Bahamas – Thousands of kids came to celebrate at the Urban Renewal Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Windsor Park at Wulff Road and East Street.
“It’s a celebration of the Easter season and we used the opportunity to bring youngsters together from all the Urban Renewal areas to celebrate the Easter season with fun, games, playing and a barbeque,” said Dennis Dames, public relations officer for the New Providence Urban Renewal Programmes.
“We served about 1,000 and I would say it was about more than a thousand for sure.”
On April 28, the government and the Urban Renewal community partners joined to provided gifts, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, sodas, water and other supplies to make sure everyone who came left with something. Windsor Park was chosen for its central location to which all nine Urban Renewal Centres could meet by either walking to the Easter Egg hunt, or be bussed in from areas further away.
“We did it to bring the children together as one and to get to know one another and celebrate the Easter holiday before school begins again with good memories to cherish,” said Mr. Dames.
“Although they bussed in most, Windsor Park is a central park in the whole Urban Renewal area. It’s very easy for the clients we cater to, to get there. The St. Cecilia crew was able to walk to the park from their office on Oxford Avenue in the Grove. The Englerston children could also walk to the park. Farm Road children could walk straight from the park, too.”
Urban Renewal depends on government grants, corporate sponsors and its individual community partners to breathe life into its events that bring the community together, since its fundraising efforts are limited or non-existent. Urban Renewal currently has a limited budget for its activities, which are financed by prior approval.
“We don’t do any fundraising in Urban Renewal, besides from the government’s commitment. We are very thankful to our community partners who assist us through various programmes,” said Mr. Dames.
“We have had helpers come from every area today. Those partners include the police, businesses in the area, schools, and any other concerned citizen who may want to make a contribution to their community.”
Urban Renewal wants the community to know their services are non-political and are designed to function as meeting place for the community.
“It shouldn’t be seen as a political thing. People should take responsibility for their community. The idea of the Urban Renewal programme is to involve everybody to join us in our mission to improve the inner city of Nassau,” said Mr. Dames.
“We are not asking for financial help. We are asking for physical responsibility because it involves everybody. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link so the more people we could have on board the more effective we would be.”
By Gena Gibbs
BAHAMAS INFORMATION SERVICES
