NATIONAL Road Operating and Constructing Company Limited (NROCC) marked Labour Day 2025 with a transformative push to breathe new life into Salt Spring and Cornwall Court in St James as part of a bold vision to uplift youth and build sustainable futures.

In Salt Spring, a basic school shuttered since 2011, is being reimagined as the SPRING (Safe space for young people to unleash their Potential through Renewal, Innovation, Neighbourly Spirit and Growth) Community Resource Centre,

The initiative is being done in partnership with the Salt Spring Community Development Committee (CDC) and is dubbed more than a renovation but a movement.

The Labour Day effort saw NROCC staff, community volunteers, and the Forestry Department team up for a full-scale clean-up of the premises, clearing debris, debushing overgrown land, and planting trees to create a welcoming environment.

“We’re proud to support a project that not only enhances the environment but also builds local capacity and ownership. The Montego Bay Perimeter Road, now 60 per cent complete, and the communities along the project’s corridor will continue to benefit from these efforts,” said Stephen Edwards, managing director of NROCC.

Once completed, the centre will host a homework and study space, deliver HEART/NSTA Trust skills training, and launch a youth summer camp.

“Salt Spring is a community rich with talent and filled with individuals who want better for themselves,” said Sherrikay Morris, public relations officer for the Salt Spring CDC.

“Our youth are reaching out, asking for opportunities to improve. We even held a registration forum where more than 100 young people came forward to begin training with HEART Trust/NSTA, but we lacked the space to accommodate them. That’s when the idea for a safe, sustainable centre like SPRING truly took root,” added Morris.

When completed, the new facility will serve residents of all ages with its primary focus being on providing young people with the tools and support they need to pursue alternative paths through education, mentorship, and innovation.

In Cornwall Court, Jamaica’s second-largest housing community, NROCC revitalised the long-neglected Kiddies Park, giving families and children a safe, vibrant space to gather and play. The activities included repainting playground equipment, repairing fencing, and planting shade trees.

Member of Parliament for St James Central Heroy Clarke welcomed the intervention.

“NROCC’s thoughtful approach goes beyond the construction of the Montego Bay Perimeter Road. Through its social responsibility committee, the company is ensuring that the residents — especially our youth — experience real, tangible benefits. The park project started as a simple idea, but it evolved into something transformative for the children and families of Cornwall Court,” said Clarke.