Joseph Cunningham, Gleaner WriterTHROUGH ITS commitment to early childhood education, the Rotary Club of Kingston has been rebuilding school infrastructure in the
St. Andrew community of Dunrobin/Cassia Park.
The $20 million Dunrobin Educational and Community Centre Project will see the reconstruction of the basic school and the establishment of a community centre on its grounds. This follows the Rotarians effort last year which saw the transformation of the school's 'dust-bowl' grounds into the Red Hills Road Multipurpose Park, with playing field and netball/basketball courts.
According to club president Stephen Wedderburn the work forms part of a growing relationship between Rotarians and the 15-20,000-strong community.
"The first project resulted from a health fair that we administered in the community. The doctors who served at the fair grew very concerned about the prevalence of asthma affecting the residents, and were informed by residents that the dust-bowl was the cause," said Mr. Wedderburn.
He said the current work came after residents appealed to the club, explaining the problems that affected the community: high unemployment, a high crime rate, and insufficient access to training, high school dropouts and a lack of recreational facilities.
"In keeping with our mandate to implement a major project annually, we took the opportunity to respond by establishing infrastructure that will counteract these problems," he explained.
The Rotarians have provided a new basic school, a multi-purpose community centre with changing rooms and a computer room, homework centre and library.
After the construction, responsibility for the facilities will be handed over to local community organisation the Future Vision Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Kingston can be contacted through Allison Peart, chairperson of fund-raising at 925-2501 ext. 216.
