Volunteers cleaned and repaired Smith Bay recreation areas on St. Thomas

Residents and community groups cleaned and repaired several recreation areas in Smith Bay on St. Thomas on March 24, 2018, according to Government House.

Volunteers cleared hurricane debris and overgrown vegetation from Lionel Smut Richards Ball Park, the Smith Bay Tiny Tots Playground and the road to Coki Point Beach. They also mowed grass and removed broken and damaged fencing.

Government House said Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation staff had dug trenches about two weeks earlier to drain the waterlogged ball field after heavy rains during hurricane season left standing water that delayed restoration work.

Participants included the Smith Bay Community Action Foundation, Rotary Club of St. Thomas East, Perfect Heart Inc., the Virgin Islands Police Department, Wyndham Margaritaville Vacation Club, U.S. Army recruiter Staff Sgt. Vernon James and recruits, the Virgin Islands Clergy Peace Coalition and the V.I. Soccer Federation. Workers employed through the Disaster Dislocated Workers Grant program under the Labor Department also volunteered.

Government House said longer-term plans called for drainage improvements at the ball park before a full overhaul of the site, and that the department planned to repair and restore other damaged recreation areas across the territory. Most recreation areas in the St. Thomas-St. John district were open to the public as of March 26, 2018, though some had limited access.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/community-helps-dspr-repair-and-restore-usvi-recreation-areas/