‘Let’s call it Bolt Avenue’
SHERWOOD CONTENT, Trelawny – LILLIAN Bolt-Smith, aunt of triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt, is one of many residents in this rural community who want the three-mile roadway from Perth Town to Coxheath named in honour of the track star who celebrated his 26th birthday on Tuesday.
“We want the road from Perth Town through Sherwood Content to Coxheath to be upgraded and named Bolt Avenue,” Bolt-Smith said. “I think that we deserve it,” she emphasised.
Bolt was born in Sherwood Content, Trelawny and attended William Knibb High School at Martha Brae in that parish.
The sprinting ace made history in the recently concluded 2012 London Olympics by defending both his 100m and 200m titles and anchored the men’s 4x100m relay team to win in a record breaking time of 36.84 seconds.
Bolt-Smith who has long called for something “tangible” to be done in the Sherwood Content community in honour of her nephew, expressed disgust that up to now authorities have not seen it fit to have him properly recognised.
“He has shown his talent over and over again and to know that there is nothing done in Sherwood in his honour is very bad… not even a monument to say that Bolt is from this community… something that we can cherish… its really, really bad,” she explained.
Roger Spence, an 18-year-old student of the community also believes that the roadway should be named in honour of the world fastest man.
“I believes that he deserves it. He has helped to put the country on the map and has made even more people aware of our little island,” he argued.
Community activist, Edgar Harrison who is still celebrating Bolt’s spectacular performance at the Olympics agreed with Bolt-Smith.
“I support the idea 100 per cent. With Bolt now being one of the most famous men in the world, it should be done in honour of him,” Harrison argued.
He added that the relevant authorities must also move to address the lack of pipe water in the community.
“Right now the water situation is very bad. There is hardly any water in the pipes and that must be addressed too,” he stressed.
