Cabinet Minister the Hon. Robert Montague on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development (MEGID)  officially handed over the $58 million Torrington Park rehabilitation project to residents today (December 9, 2025), marking a renewed commitment to safety, dignity, and long-term community development.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Minister Montague noted that the ceremony marks the culmination of the Government responding effectively and with sensitivity to a critical need of the community.

Minister Montague emphasized that inner-city communities deserve equal celebration for progress and investment.

“This community matters. If we spend the money, we must celebrate it, make the people feel good. These buildings have stood for 30, 40, even 50 years and for too long residents felt forgotten. Today signals a new day. Cutting the ribbon is not the end, it is the beginning of a process leading to dignity, safety, and cooperation”, the Minister stated.

Minister Montague urged the residents to unite through their Citizens’ Association and Neighbourhood Watch, noting that community building requires shared responsibility.

“You must meet the Member of Parliament partway. He has many communities to serve, but when people cry out and their MP brings that cry into the halls of power, results like this happen. The system works when all of us work together”, Minister Montague commented.

The Minister also committed to addressing long-standing land tenure issues, emphasizing that MEGID’s Social Services Branch will return to the community to work with residents on legal and occupancy matters for both the rehabilitated units and the more than 200 surrounding units.

Philip Stephenson, Director of Projects and Technical Services at MEGID addressed the ceremony and highlighted the scope of the works, noting that technical assessments had confirmed structural deterioration.  He noted that Dockswell Construction Ltd, was subsequently engaged to execute urgent works, which began on November 19, 2024.

Upgrades included:

• Reconstruction of a collapsed staircase
• Reinforcement of additional staircases
• Full roof rehabilitation and waterproofing
• Sealing and repainting of moisture-damaged walls
• Installation of water closets
• Concrete repairs and the
• Installation of a new garbage skip to support proper waste management

“Today we celebrate not just construction work, but renewed safety and an improved quality of life”, Mr. Stephenson noted.   Mr. Stephenson thanked the residents for their patience and cooperation throughout the rehabilitation process.

Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Southern, the Hon. Mark Golding, also attended the ceremony and welcomed the completion of the work.