Tuesday 17th April 2007
Cornerstone Laying of the Fox Hill Community Centre

Your Excellency the Governor General, the Rt. Honourable Prime Minister, Reverend Ladies and Gentlemen, the boys and girls of the various schools in Fox Hill, the people of Fox Hill.

It is my special honour to be here this afternoon as part of this ceremony to mark phase one of this very comprehensive project.  This site is the culmination of a dream that was started by George Mackey in 1987, which he did not complete and which I pledged when I first came to Fox Hill in 1997 that I would complete.  We are almost there.

I have taken a page from the churches of Fox Hill in seeking to build this centre.  I noticed that the church leaders would start with an idea, raise some funds and then the idea would take shape.  That is how we have been able to build this building without any Government assistance save that of the land, which is contributed to this project.

When I was elected in 2002, there was an abandoned foundation on the land.  The foundation was filled with trees and other debris.  It was not usable and had to be condemned.  It also transpired that the land did not actually belong to the then Committee of the Fox Hill Community Centre.  Indeed to this day, we are here by licence of the Minister of Housing, the fee simple being vested in the minister.

A town meeting was held at St. Mark's Baptist church here in Romer Street to determine what should happen with the land.  The Minister was looking around for additional lands to put public housing.  This was one parcel that had been selected.  I consulted the community.  The resounding answer was that they wanted a community centre built on the land.

We commissioned an architect from Fox Hill Sheldon Maycock who drew the plans.  A new committee was formed headed by Co Chair Rev. Carrington Pinder and Mr. Benjamin Rahming and others.  Ashley Glinton of Woslee Dominion agreed to help us start, and this building is here very much because of his dedication and hard work.  I would like to publicly pay tribute to him, to Edward Williams, to Lawrence Hepburn, the supervisor on the project for all the work, which they have done to bring this building to where it is.

The redesign of the building took into account the fact that Sandilands Primary School had no central point on which to have an assembly of all of their students.  Therefore, when you go inside the auditorium for the reception, you will see that there is an 800-seat auditorium with moveable seats so that the whole assembly of Sandilands can fit into this room.  It will be an all purpose room, where community functions can be held, weddings celebrated, receptions held, concerts held.

The two-storey portion for which the pouring of the second floor will take place next week will include the bathrooms, the kitchen for catering, and upstairs an office for the Fox Hill Festival Committee and a computer room and reading room.   There is a newly incorporated non-profit company, which will control its direction.

However, this facility is designed for community use.  It is the first new public building in Fox Hill since George Mackey was the representative for this area.

I would like to take this time out to salute him for his dedication to this idea and pledge to continue to work toward its success. I would like to recognize Mrs. Betty Mackey his widow on this occasion.

Unless you are blind, then the work is here for all to see. This is a two million dollar building when finished and some one million dollars have been put into its present development.

I am pleased that the Governor General and the Prime Minister are able to join us on this occasion.  As a former representative of this area, I hope that he is pleased by what he sees.  I thank the Prime Minister for coming and I know that this is in furtherance of the community development deals, particularly that of urban renewal that he has made a lynchpin of his government.

I want to say a special word to the children of Sandilands Primary School and their parents.  This building is for you.  You are the future of Fox Hill.  Now I read recently some political remarks, which called Sandilands Primary School some bad names.  I think that is rather unfortunate and I do not agree with what was said. I want you to know that Sandilands is good as gold, and I am going to ask Mr. Nottage to lead us after what I say in the school chant to reaffirm that fact.  I have great faith in you and I know that you are going to do well for Fox Hill.

I hope your member this day, and what is being done for you and your community.

You should also know that the Government has agreed to acquire the land next door to the Sandilands Primary School for the expansion of the school grounds including the construction of a new classroom bock to provide for additional classrooms and a much-needed lounge for teachers and a library for the school.  All of that and more are to come.

For Fox Hill, there is the plan to pass legislation to formally incorporate Fox Hill into a village with its own Board and I hope to persuade the Government of the value of this to our national cultural heritage.  The Ocean Hole Park must be developed, the old society hall will be restored, and a museum project and store will be established.

I am also hoping to persuade the culture Minister that it would be a good idea to provide a financial grant to the churches in Fox Hill to support their programme for Fox Hill Day.

Let all who have eyes to see; let them see.

So I feel quite pleased today about this accomplishment.  I believe that it shows good stewardship and that will lead to great things in the future.

Once again, I thank all the Committee members and the friends of this project for all their assistance.  Some of the donors are here today, however, the most precious of these donations were the monies contributed to this project by the children of the Sandilands Primary School.  Some who have boasted how much money they have did not contribute one penny.  Christ tells us also that it is the widow’s mite that is often equal and more valued than the gift of the billionaire.

Let us then pray that the use of this building will be for good of all Fox Hillians.

God Bless Fox Hill and God Bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.