DEDICATING his time, manpower, and personal funds over the last three years to ensure the beautification of the Chesterfield Drive entrance to the Corporate Area community of Seaview Gardens has won shoemaker Almando Bailey the gratitude of residents of the community, who draw daily inspiration from the beautiful array of flowers planted by him.

Seventy-two-year-old shopkeeper Leroy Smith, who has served the community for the past 30 years and who keeps his shop open late at nights to satisfy the needs of residents of the Phase One section of Seaview Gardens, has also earned the applause of the residents.

The two were honoured by the community on Monday for their selfless work over the years.

The residents unanimously agreed that Bailey is the superhero in Seaview Gardens not only for the beauty of the flowers he tenderly cares for, but also for his efforts to clear debris from the junction at Chesterfield Drive and Pacific Boulevard during times of heavy rain.

The residents paid Bailey a surprise visit on Monday and presented him with a plaque as a symbol of their gratitude.

One resident, Beverley Luke, told the Jamaica Observer that two other members of the community, Cassetta Aldridge and her mother Nadia Lewis, initiated giving Bailey the token and said the community agreed that he is deserving of the honour because he is a source of inspiration for residents.

“No matter how sad I feel, when I pass this place, it lifts my spirit. Persons are really appreciative but they were just showing it in words. He doesn’t even own a weed wacker. He pays to get the place cleared of bushes and to get the landscape done. As early as you can find, he is here watering the land with his machete in his hand.

“He is here early morning and late at nights and people can’t say the community of Seaview Gardens is gunman area any more. Because of him, it is like a palace now and he is not getting paid for it. Whenever it rains, debris from all over pile up here. In the ‘space of a second’ he clears everything,” said Luke.

“Sometimes I wonder if he has a truck working with or something like that. Sometimes I wonder if he has a wife because as early as the morning is, he is out, beautifying the place,” added Luke.

Bailey, who was joined by his very supportive wife Beverley Bailey, to collect his award, told the Observer that his motivation comes from his love of nature and and the inspiration it provides for people. He said he was grateful for the award.

“When I started it, there are a lot of people who come and encourage me, so that gives me motivation to continue and do more. A lot of times people pass and dem will stop and say ‘good work’ and those things inspire. Even my wife, sometimes she says I am doing a good job,” said Bailey as he shared that he is shoemaker who dabbles in other fields such as beekeeping.

“One day a policeman come and say him have to meet me because him just come inna di scheme and him squaddie dem tell him seh is the shoemaker man plant the flowers after he asked if Seaview is doing a new project. He said he had to come meet me. He said I inspire him and he appreciates what I am doing.

“You have some positive people and some negative ones. One day I was working and a lady come and ask me how Government going to find work to give dem if me clean up the sidewalk,” he said, highlighting some of the comments that he has had to ignore.

In her tribute to Smith, one resident, Dona Pellington, told the Observer that in 1980 when she moved to the community, his shop was where everybody rushed at any hour of the night for bread and butter.

Smith’s shop remains one of the most popular in the community.

“Any hours a night, him have the best bread. Everybody from all over come buy quarter of bread and butter. He sells everything. He has relocated three times and he still has a shop. Everybody goes to Leroy. Everybody knows Leroy,” said Pellington.