DESPITE heavy critics from area residents, the Westmoreland Parish Council intends to go ahead with plans to replace the old horse stable in the centre of Savanna-La-Mar with a civic park and monument.

Several councillors and other supporters of the project recently staged a brief ground-breaking ceremony for the controversial plan.

The modern park site will include two shops dedicated to providing information on the island’s heritage. A cenotaph will also be erected in memory of the parish’s war veterans.

“The old horse stable that used to be here was falling into a state of disrepair and so the council saw it fit to take it down,” said Savanna-La-Mar mayor Ralph Anglin. “We believe that it is time we put up something that is significant.”

The old horse stable was mainly used for parking cars. It also served as shelter from the rain. But lately, motorists have not been parking their vehicles in it as the roof had collapsed in several sections.

The new monument and park should be completed by October 21, when it is scheduled to be officially opened. The estimated cost is $3.7m and funding was secured through the Lift Up Jamaica programme.