Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) has told his constituents that more upgrades will be coming to the East End Community Park in the New Year. Photo: Facebook/JTV Channel 55

A series of tree lighting ceremonies in District 8 began on December 8, 2024, at the East End Community Park. Photo: Facebook/JTV Channel 55

Hon Penn was speaking during a tree lighting ceremony at the East End Community Park on December 8, 2024, which marked the beginning of a series of tree lightings in strategic points in District 8.

“After Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the park was pretty much destroyed and was really unsafe for use over the last few years. Earlier this year we were able to repair the banisters around the park, get the lighting back in place,” he said.

Contract already signed

Hon Penn indicated that more works are on the cards for the park with a contract already signed. These works will include a new playground and a redone basketball court.

“We try to make the park as safe and children friendly as possible so you could enjoy your childhood here in East/End Long Look,” he stated.

The District 8 Representative also thanked the Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL) who he said “rallied with me to ensure we had the funds necessary to do the repairs of the park”.

Phase two of the ongoing East End Community Park enhancements will “hopefully” be done in Marc or April of 2025, he added.

From there a lighting and security enhancement project will be undertaken  

Get “back to basics”- Hon Penn

Meanwhile, Hon Penn encouraged residents to get back to celebrating a traditional Christmas. Christmas now he explained has become “so commercialised all we think about is gifts and toys and all the other things”.

Hon Penn reminisced on his boyhood days going out singling carols stating, “it was just fun for us going out and doing a traditional Christmas and I think we need to get back to basics, get back to a lot of the traditional things’.

Next year he revealed Christmas in District 8 will take on a more traditional Christmas all have “grown accustomed to in the Virgin Islands”.