The facility, unveiled on Friday, is designed to serve both residents and visitors, offering a space for family enjoyment, local enterprise, and enhanced tourism activity.

The project was born out of the determination of local resident Simon Phillip, who described the initiative as a labor of love fueled by sacrifice and passion.

“Night and day, I used to be on that spot… bringing from trucks and coming to fill that place. It’s not an easy task. The children will be happy, the concessionaries will be operating, and people on the beach now have access to the bathroom,” explained Phillip.

Gros Islet MP Kenson Casimir praised the community-centered approach of the project, highlighting the role of local contractors in bringing it to life.

Said Casimir: “We endeavor to give quality in our constituency. We had the challenges as is associated with global warming, but we are able to come back to the drawing board and execute. I am proud that the contractors for this project, again, from the constituency of Gros Islet, did a very good job.”

Tourism and Investment Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire placed the project within the broader vision for Saint Lucia’s tourism sector, describing it as a timely addition to ongoing developments like the Rodney Bay Beach Park and the A’ila Resort. He stressed the importance of Saint Lucians taking greater ownership of the industry.

“We want Saint Lucians to start owning more of the tourism industry. Not just to participate in the sense of being workers and providing services, but to start owning it. The beautiful beaches, the rivers, the waterfalls, the mountains, the hiking trails, the birds, all those things, they belong collectively to Saint Lucians.”

The Gros Islet Recreational Beach Park is now open to the public, offering a space where leisure, livelihood, and local pride come together.