Laughter and cheers once filled the French Park Oval in Manchester, but now, only the sound of rubble and debris remained. Hurricane Beryl had left its mark, destroying the beloved cricket stadium and shattering the community’s spirit.

The once vibrant green field was now a mess of twisted metal and shattered dreams. Amidst the devastation, a determined figure emerged. Cassius Burton, the stadium’s manager, stood tall, his eyes fixed on the ruins.

“We will rebuild,” he declared, his voice echoing through the desolate landscape.

Burton’s eyes widened as he took in the devastation at the cricket stadium, prompting an incredulous outburst: “Oh my God! Wow! What a disaster!”

The hurricane removed many zinc sheets from the roofs of the main pavilion, the scoring and broadcast building and the kitchen. It also bent and destroyed many of the structural pipe roof framing. The hurricane overturned a 40-foot container which had roof framing and zinc sheet covering which was under construction. It blew over the scoring board and many metal framed signs.

With a sense of urgency, Burton took the first step towards rebuilding.

“I telephoned Mr E Bert Jackson, who is the public relations officer and a civil engineer and builder, and asked him to visit the oval for an inspection of the damage,” Burton told the Jamaica Observer.

As Burton walked through the rubble, he knew that the rebuilt stadium would be the same in design and facilities, but with stronger construction to withstand future hurricanes.

“The rebuilt oval will be the same in terms of design and facilities and the community would once again have a place to gather, to cheer, and to celebrate. The replacement construction will be stronger and done to high professional standards as long as there is enough and adequate funds to do so,” he said.

Although the cost for rebuilding the cricket stadium was not disclosed, Burton knew that funding would be a major concern. “With donations from corporate Jamaica, private sector, and government foundations, plus some free community labour,” he replied, when asked about funding sources. Every little bit would count, and Burton was determined to leave no stone unturned.

Despite the challenges ahead, Burton was resolute. “By December 31, 2024, to be ready for the 2025 cricket season,” he stated, setting an ambitious timeline for the rebuild.

As he looked out at the damaged stadium, Burton knew that the rebuilt stadium would benefit the community and cricket enthusiasts.

“The rebuilt stadium will continue to be a popular venue for top-quality cricket matches and cricket competitions,” Burton said. “The stadium was more than just a building; it was the heart of the community.

“The oval also hosts all-island cricket matches and competitions organised by the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Jamaica Cricket Association. Each year, over 20 competition cricket matches are hosted. The attendance at matches is sometimes in excess of 500 spectators for non-final competition matches and up to 2,00 spectators for the final SDC competition match.

“Community and semi-professional cricket players will continue to gain experience and develop their cricket skills at the cricket field. Cricket enthusiasts will continue to have lots of fun and enjoyment watching the sport at this lovely cricket facility.”

With a sense of determination, Burton declared, “Yes, most definitely,” when asked about community involvement in the rebuilding process.

“The stadium has suffered from day one from lack of adequate funding from the Government and corporate Jamaica,” he said. “Most of the materials used to build the buildings were substandard used and second-hand materials installed by free community labour.

“Consequently, the buildings were not able to be built with the strength and to the highest professional standards. As a result, the buildings were very vulnerable to hurricane force winds. As before, the community will be involved in the rebuilding process.

“This time, with adequate funding for the rebuilding process, we are expecting to use brand new high quality materials and be able to hire some specialist workers from outside the community to work alongside community workers so that the rebuilt structures will be of the highest standard capable of withstanding Category 5 hurricanes.”