Residents of communities surrounding National Heroes Park will be coming out in their numbers on Labour Day, May 23, to participate in the cleaning and beautification of the historic site.

The park, the final resting place of many of Jamaica's national heroes, prime ministers, and cultural leaders, is the national project for Labour Day 2012.

Relaxation

Education Minister and Member of Parliament for Central Kingston, Ronald Thwaites, said the residents of the constituency, particularly the nearby Allman Town, use the park for relaxation, meditation, and for sports, and "I hope that what we do on Labour Day will help towards those objectives."

"We look forward to it becoming even more verdant with growing trees, more seats so we can come and use it, and more opportunities for the little children to play," he said.

Minister Thwaites was speaking following a recent tour of the park with members of the Labour Day Planning Committee, to get a first-hand look at its condition and to ascertain the scope of work to be done on Labour Day.

The touring party included Principal Director of Culture, Ministry of Youth and Culture, Sydney Bartley; Senior Director of Urban and Regional Planning, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Marsha Henry-Martin and a representative of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.