Photo: Mayor Wagner, Minister Fonseca, councillors and both presidents of Rotaract Club had the honor of cutting the ribbon
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Feb. 27, 2023
On Friday, February 24, the Belize City Council, in partnership with the Rotaract Club, held an inauguration ceremony for Love Park, located in Belama Phase 1.
The ceremony was held at 11:30 a.m. and in attendance were the Rotaract presidents of both Belize City, Kristie Sosa; and Strathcona County, Canada, Cole Gunderson, along with some of their members. Also present was the Freetown area representative, Hon. Francis Fonseca, amongst others.
The ceremony began with remarks from the Mayor of Belize City, Bernard Wagner, who highlighted the impact the park is bringing to children, parents, and even businesses.
“Right now, school is on, but by four o’clock this evening and as early as the sun rises tomorrow, this newly installed play set behind me will be loaded with lines of children waiting to live their best life. Parents will join, vendors will pass by, and lifelong friendships will be nurtured, and the park’s name will be fulfilled,” said Mayor Wagner.
The Canadian Rotarians have dedicated weeks to working on building a play set for the community, and partnered with the Belize City Rotaract Club led by Kristie Sosa.
“I must say that it has been a wonderful and fulfilling experience to build this playground from scratch with my fellow Rotaracters and Rotarians. For those of you who may not know about Rotary International, it encompasses Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs. These clubs provide services ranging from a local to an international scope, and partner together to achieve a positive change in our communities,” shared Sosa.
Love Park was built in honor of Hannah Gunderson, the sister of Cole Gunderson, who passed away in 2020. It was Hannah’s influence that led her brother to join the club, where she had found joy in serving and building communities.
Minister Fonseca, during his remarks, stated the importance of inaugurating such a community-centered project.
“Community spaces like this one are critically important to the growth and development of our young people, our families, and our communities. So, it’s always important for us to invest in these spaces and to do everything we can to continue to rehabilitate and upgrade them. So, it’s a very, very important initiative,” he said.
Minister Fonseca, Mayor Wagner, and both Rotaract Club presidents had the honor of cutting the ribbon, officially inaugurating Love Park for the Belama Community.