Welcome to Lloyd Young Drive!
ALBION, St James — Albion’s First Street was yesterday named after Lloyd George Young Senior, a veteran bodybuilding and weightlifting coach and philanthropist
The 90-year-old Young, whose home and business place has been a household name on First Street for decades, was overwhelmed by the changing of the name to Lloyd Young Drive.
Accompanied by his wife Marlene and son Lloyd George Jnr, Young who celebrated his 90th birthday in August, told the gathering of family, friends, politicians and well wishers, “Truth be told I am no stranger to national and international honours having received the Order of Distinction and many others in weightlifting. I must say however that the naming of this street in my honour today is the sweetest of the sweet.”
With over 130 combined years of voluntary service to several sectors of society including the AIDS hospice, street people, the St James Infirmary and the Committee for the Upliftment of the Mentally Ill (CUMI), Young said the honour was fitting as he had spent many years trying to help others who were less fortunate.
“I consider it an extremely high honour to have this street we are standing on, named in my honour, having truly dedicated a great portion of my life to helping my fellow men even when living and doing business from my property even while living on this street for many, many years.”
In a delivery spiced with wit, Young declared, “This honour is even more meaningful to me having being born at home in Sam Sharpe Square 90 years ago making me a true son of the soil. Yes me is a bay boy me born a bay!” he said to much laughter.
In the resolution to rename the street, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Cecil Davis who stood in for Mayor Councillor Charles Sinclair, said the motion for the name change was made two years ago by Councillor Homer Davis and was seconded by Councillor Heroy Clarke.
Young gave credit to the late publicist Byron Balfour who he said made the initial recommendation to the St James Parish Council.
Earlier Davis described Young who won the first Mr Jamaica bodybuilding title in 1949 as “a fine example of what one man can do” while Custos Ewen Corrodus in his greeting called Young “A dedicated servant of humanity who will be forever young.”
