TURTLE RIVER PARK - OCHO RIOS
The Turtle River Park offers another alternative to recreational facilities in the parish of St. Ann. The park is ideal for relaxation as well as providing a beautiful backdrop for your wedding, reception or photo shoot. Features include a central walk-way, water feature inhabited by fish and turtle, gazebos as well as children’s play area, all sited on 3 hectares of land.
Situated in the centre of Ocho Rios, Turtle River Park is a relatively new attraction. Until recent years the land (which spans over 3 hectares) was used to be a bus park until the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) slated it for redevelopment. The UDC decided that the most beneficial use for the land would be a public park, a use befitting St Ann Parish's nickname of "The Garden Parish". Turtle River Park was opened by Prime Minister P J Patterson on 18 June 2004. The Park is frequented by tourists and members of the Ocho Rios community, seeking a moment of tranquility away from working life. The park features flower beds, a large pond stocked with fish and turtles, gazeboes, a concert pavilion and a concession selling snacks. There is also a parking lot adjoining the park. Contact Information: Turtle River Park, Main Street, Ocho Rios, St. Ann (876) 795 0078, 974 5015, 974 2612, Tel-fax (876) 974 2731 |
Palm Lined Walkway
After walking in the large main entrance on Milford Road, there is a long walkway which gives a glimpse of the ponds at the end.The walkway is lined with palm trees and small hedges to either side, halfway down the walkway a central water feature starts to bubble and flow down towards the ponds. Manicured lawns to either side of the walkway carry numerous ’keep off the grass’ signs, which I can only assume to keep the lawns in their magnificent state of lushness!
What is available at the Park?
There are gazebos scattered around the park, where groups of people sit quietly or talk, sing and recite from the bible, lovers young and old share a tender word and touch and everyday people just sit and chill out. Palm trees, bushes and planting leads you along pathways cut through the beautiful lawns to other areas of the park. There is a children’s play area which has a couple of playhouses on stilts and some swings, although when I visited only a few of the swings had seats, but the children there enjoyed themselves none the less. The turtle theme carries on through the park and I saw these cute little turtles sitting in a row across the lawn, maybe to create a division from the children’s area behind it. I noticed a trampoline with an enclosure, but couldn’t see anyone attending to it and I assumed it wasn’t free to use. Along some of the pathways there is a turtle emblem stamped into the concrete to break up the blandness and continue with the turtle theme.
Scenic Ponds and Waterways
The park boasts a large man-made pond which is beautifully designed and has large specimens of what look like coy carp fish swimming in the shallows. Large trees, palms, clipped bushes, flowers and rockstone are tastefully scattered around to create a natural looking atmospheric area, which doesn’t look overdone.
After walking in the large main entrance on Milford Road, there is a long walkway which gives a glimpse of the ponds at the end.The walkway is lined with palm trees and small hedges to either side, halfway down the walkway a central water feature starts to bubble and flow down towards the ponds. Manicured lawns to either side of the walkway carry numerous ’keep off the grass’ signs, which I can only assume to keep the lawns in their magnificent state of lushness!
What is available at the Park?
There are gazebos scattered around the park, where groups of people sit quietly or talk, sing and recite from the bible, lovers young and old share a tender word and touch and everyday people just sit and chill out. Palm trees, bushes and planting leads you along pathways cut through the beautiful lawns to other areas of the park. There is a children’s play area which has a couple of playhouses on stilts and some swings, although when I visited only a few of the swings had seats, but the children there enjoyed themselves none the less. The turtle theme carries on through the park and I saw these cute little turtles sitting in a row across the lawn, maybe to create a division from the children’s area behind it. I noticed a trampoline with an enclosure, but couldn’t see anyone attending to it and I assumed it wasn’t free to use. Along some of the pathways there is a turtle emblem stamped into the concrete to break up the blandness and continue with the turtle theme.
Scenic Ponds and Waterways
The park boasts a large man-made pond which is beautifully designed and has large specimens of what look like coy carp fish swimming in the shallows. Large trees, palms, clipped bushes, flowers and rockstone are tastefully scattered around to create a natural looking atmospheric area, which doesn’t look overdone.
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