US$10.8M modern recreational Guyana-China Friendship Park to open in April

…”It is a people-oriented project” – Site Manager

By Mishael Henry

The US$10.8 million Guyana-China Friendship-Joe Vieira Park is nearing completion, with its official opening slated for April.
The Joe Vieira Park, now the Guyana–China Friendship Park, features a wide range of amenities, including a forest picnic area, wooden walkways, a Mandarin duck pavilion, a landscaped lake, bridges and corridors, a hydrophilic platform, football fields with seating for approximately 500 spectators, pavilions, and a manufacturing plaza.
The construction of the parks is being completed by China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute Corp Ltd and CSCEC Southwest Consultancy Co Ltd.
Before these upgrades, the park was gifted to the Government of Guyana by its former owner, Joseph Rudolph Vieira, in 1982.
In January 2022, Guyana and China signed an implementation agreement under the China-Guyana Friendship Initiative to transform the park into a modern recreational space aimed at improving public health and well-being, similar in function to the National Park.
Upon completion, the park will be maintained and managed by the Protected Areas Commission (PAC).
This newspaper spoke with site manager Ni Shunhuani on Tuesday, who provided this publication with a firsthand look at the ongoing preparations.
“The construction within the park has been largely completed. The municipal electricity connection work and the external road on the east side of the park are expected to be completed by the end of March, and the park is scheduled to open in April. This park draws on the design style of traditional Chinese gardens while taking into account the needs of citizens,” he said.
“We have built the park to feature Chinese-style pavilions and corridors, wooden roofs, football fields with stands, basketball courts, tennis courts, table tennis courts, children’s activity areas, and a central lake.”
The park also includes forest picnic areas, wooden walkways, and coloured concrete roads. It boasts an impressive monument named the Lu Ban Lock, which adds to its visual appeal. The monument symbolises the hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart bond between China and Guyana and represents strong cooperation between the two nations.
“It is a people-oriented project,” he added.
Security is one of the park’s main focuses, with significant efforts being made to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors.
“Yes, security cameras have been installed, and multiple guard rooms have been set up to ensure the safety of the people. We have about 20 cameras here right now.”
Routine maintenance will be handled by the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), which has also been overseeing the completion process.
When asked whether persons can apply for vending spots, the manager explained that there are many spacious areas within the park suitable for sales activities.
“The application process for vending must meet the subsequent management requirements of the PAC. This park includes a football field, basketball court, tennis court, table tennis court, a children’s activity area, and picnic areas under the trees. The specific application process must comply with the relevant regulations of the PAC.”