Longville Park Association Seeks To Enhance Residents' Lives

Cecelia Campbell Livingston, Jamaica Gleaner

The Longville Park Citizens Association, through its Human Resource and Welfare Committee, is seeking to improve the welfare of residents through various initiatives.

President Baldvin McKenzie, said the committee is dedicated to helping to make life better for the residents of the Clarendon community.

"The committee comprises select members who can ensure that training, employment and welfare are undertaken," he told Rural Xpress.

Unattached Youths

According to McKenzie, with many in the community losing their jobs, facing health and other challenges, as well as the rising number of unattached youths, committee members are working hard, implementing initiatives that will make a difference in the lives of residents who need assistance.

For the unattached youths, the National Housing Trust (NHT) has sponsored a skills training course in general construction, food preparation and hospitality, managed by the Human Employment and Resource Training (HEART/NTA).

This month, in a bid to help residents become more marketable, the committee has organised training in customer service and leadership.

On International Women's Day - March 8 - the human resource team will be spearheading a women's conference in the community.

McKenzie explained that focus would be placed on empowering women in the community and its environs through various workshops with specially selected speakers.

The conference, which will be targeting 200 women, will be hosted under the theme '50/50 by 2030: Step it up for Gender Equality' and will form the framework for the Longville Park Women's Support Group.

Among the topics that will be explored are: domestic violence, women's health, women in business, and single mothers' challenges. An awards ceremony will also be held for special women in the Longville Park community who brought about change.

The committee has its challenges but the president said with the vision to make Longville Park a model community they will be pressing along.

"It's the single largest community in Jamaica and indeed the Caribbean. To organise initiatives is a huge task, but we are hoping residents will buy into the vision and help us create a better future for the youths coming up," he said.

Longville Park cop Cream of the Crop T20 trophy

It was jubilation and celebration on Sunday in Longville Park as the community cricket team walked away with the inaugural National Housing Trust's (NHT) Cream of the Crop T20 cricket trophy.

The weekend carnival affair saw the top four NHT schemes which emerged out of the Social Development Commission (SDC) T20 cricket competition heading into a showdown.

The top two teams from Clarendon, Longville, and Bushy Park played the top two from St Catherine, Angels and Claremont respectively, in the semi-finals at the Longville Park Community Centre last Saturday.

Longville took on Claremont in the final the following day, coming out victorious.

Manager for the victorious team, Patrick Mitchell, told the CENTRAL STAR that his team had been in preparation mode since they heard about the competition six weeks ago.

He said making it out of the semi-final stage was harder than he had anticipated and said the final was even more difficult.

"We only made 104 and I thought that it wouldn't have been enough to secure victory for us. But thankfully Romario Edwards bagged five wickets for just 14 runs and that helped in putting us in the driver's seat," said Mitchell. "We were bent on winning the prize as we didn't want a match to be held on our grounds and we didn't come out the victor."

He said he started to play against other cricket clubs in the parish in a bid to get the team well-needed practice.

"It didn't matter if they won or lost, it was about preparation and getting practice. We also ensured that they were ready physically and mentally," said Mitchell, who is also sports coordinator for the community.

PRIZE MONEY

For their victory, the Longville Park cricket team received a trophy and a cash prize of $80,000, while Claremont got a runner-up trophy and $50,000.

The third-place winner Bushy Park also copped $20,000.

With the first-ever staging an overwhelming success, teams are already looking forward to next year's event, which is expected to be opened to more schemes.

Sport minister has big plans for Longville Park

The Jamaica Star

Residents of Longville Park Housing Scheme in Clarendon had reasons to smile on Easter Monday, as Sport Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange announced some improvements for the community sport programmes.

Addressing the residents at their 20th anniversary Sports Day event, Grange said she observed the field was in need of attention.

"You are going to get all the support that I can (give) in all the sporting disciplines that you are engaging in at Longville Park, to ensure that your sport facilities are of a standard that will allow you to engage in whatever you want to," she said to loud cheers.

Grange had more good news for the community, as she said that the multipurpose court built years ago would be renovated, and that she would ensure the jogging trail is equipped with lights.

Grange said Longville Park is not the only community that will get attention, as there are plans to upgrade community facilities as well as infrastructure in schools across Jamaica, to ensure that young people can engage in all kinds of sporting disciplines.

Grange also stressed the importance of community sports, pointing out that it is a good tool to unite people and a good social-intervention method.

She also used the opportunity to inform that basic schools would soon be engaging in football competitions.

Fit 4 Life | Longville Park Residents Took On The Challenge

As The Gleaner's Fit4Life team continued on its journey with Jamaica to a fitter life, early Saturday morning we headed to the Longville Park Community Centre in Longville Park, Clarendon, to work out with the residents.

Fit4Life's fitness coach, Marvin Gordon, and co-host Amashika Lorne took the young and old, fit and not so fit through a series of exercises - from warm-up to intense to cool down - for about an hour. Each participant was determined to muscle through every exercise routine Gordon set for them, some taking time out when it got too intense, but eventually got right back into it.

When it was done, some dropped to the ground, sweat-soaked after a full-body workout session.

The power shakes provided by sponsors Foska Oats and Blue Diamond Almond Milk were more than welcome to give back some energy. As were the refreshing bottles of water from sponsor Wata.

For their gallant efforts, several residents were presented with gifts, such as Kamp Kamila Fitness gift packages, Fit4Life T-shirts and Gleaner-branded merchandise. Participants also got handouts with nutrition tips, courtesy of Fit4Life.

Hats off to the Longville Park residents, Jamaica Moves team members and members of the Longville Park football team who came out.

[Check out the photos from Saturday's Longville Park event above and click on the video link for highlights http://videos.jamaica-gleaner.com/videos/video.php?id=2750]

This Saturday, The Gleaner's Fit4Life team will take you on the Body By Kurt experience, which will feature the 'Body By Kurt FitMix - Three-The-Hard-Way'. This will include dance aerobics, body sculpting, and good old '70s and '80s aerobics - not to mention the fitness tests and challenges. So join us at 23 Haining Road, New Kingston, at 6:30 am this Saturday, October 28.

Over the next eight weeks, look out for The Gleaner's Fit4Life team coming your way on a Saturday morning. Come join us as we partner together to help Jamaica become a healthier society.

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and tag your posts with #fit4lifeja