THE possibility of adding more value to Trench Town, and by extension Jamaica’s sports tourism, is becoming more of a reality as the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has thrown its support behind the Boys’ Town Reggae Skate Park with significant sponsorship to complete the first phase of the project.

Since the announcement of plans to erect the 18,000- to 25,000-square-feet skate park in 2019, financial support for the project — expected to cost approximately US $700,000 — has been gradually building over the years. The TEF’s contribution is now expected to start and finish phase one of the Reggae Skate Park, which will be situated on the west side of the Boys’ Town compound that houses the football and cricket pitches.

Jamaica Skateboard Federation (JSF) President Steve Douglas, in disclosing the partnership, pointed out that the TEF’s backing represents a significant investment in community development and will go a far way in aiding the progress of skateboarding in Jamaica.

“We are extremely ecstatic about our partnership with the Tourism Enhancement Fund, which again resulted from our community involvement and our contribution to the development of skateboarding in Jamaica over the years,” Douglas told the Jamaica Observer.

“The JSF’s progression and commitment to the development to the sport, implemented by our grass roots programme, has influenced the importance of building the infrastructure of skate parks to improve skateboarding in Jamaica. So,we are very happy and grateful to have partnered with Tourism Enhancement Fund to complete phase one of the Boys Town Reggae Skate Park,” he added.

Though reluctant to reveal the sponsorship figures, Douglas believes it comes at an opportune time as the federation had to endure a lengthy wait to break ground for the erection of what is expected to be a state-of-the-art skate park

On that note, he revealed that the federation is now looking to a July start date for erection, with hopes of completing the first phase before or by November.

This first phase, Douglas explained, will consist of a full street course with the obstacles required for international competitions, Olympic standards for training, as well as national competitions and recreation.

“We have contracted the best skate park builders in the world, California Skate Parks, to design and build the Reggae Skate Park. Our diligence to provide Jamaica and the community of Boys Town an international infrastructure for skateboarding resulted from our growth in membership and certified skateboarding instructors,” he said.

“Tourism Enhancement Fund has embraced our impactful efforts and established a partnership with the Jamaica Skateboard Federation.

“Our international sponsors, EA Skate, Boards for Bros, Grizzly Grip Tape and Clark’s Orginal, are elated about the partnership and are ready to grow and develop the sport of skateboarding in Jamaica. The Boys’ Town Association board members are also jubilant about this great accomplishment and are all looking forward to what is to come,” Douglas noted.

With Boys’ Town, situated in the southern St Andrew community of Trench Town, being famous for producing leading exponents of Jamaica’s musical genres, including “King of Reggae” Bob Marley, as well as for its sporting exploits, TEF’s Executive Director Carey Wallace believes it is worth the investment.

“Trench Town is a very important destination to us in tourism. It’s extremely popular with our visitors and many of them pay pilgrimage when they come to Jamaica, having heard of that area through the songs of Bob Marley that many of our visitors indicate that they grew up with. It is also demonstrated by so many Airbnb accommodations being in that destination,” Wallace told the Observer.

“We believe it is important to support the skateboard facility to add to the diversity of offerings in that area. We know of the popular culture yard and other offerings there, but we believe that developing the skateboard facility will allow for more leisure activities to be available, of course to our locals in the area as well as our visitors.

“Sports tourism is an important component of our offerings here in Jamaica and this will help to facilitate the growth of sports tourism. So, we are pleased to be partnering with Jamaica Skateboard Federation to develop a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Trench Town, and look forward to the successful completion of the project in a six-month time span,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bill Minadeo, vice-president of California Skate Park which is charged with designing and erecting the Reggae Skate Park, expressed excitement to be involved in what is deemed an historic project.

“We are absolutely honoured to be a part of this historic project. We can’t wait to be able to design our style of skate park to give all of the residents of the area, and wider Jamaica, a creative outlet to express themselves — and what better place to have that than in Trench Town, the community which is the heart and soul of reggae,” a delighted Minadeo said.

“It means so much to be on the cusp of this project for Jamaica. We have worked for a long time to analyse sites, as well as to educate and to help develop the skating community, and we are ready to start with the first phase right away. We are now looking into a unique, creative and functional design that fits the area,” he told the Observer.