Page 6 - FUND LOTTO

A14 LOCAL
Friday 8 december 2017
‘Father’ of Parke Curason: George Forbes

By Linda Reijnders
JABURIBARI - For years
I have been practicing
sports at the actual only
real sport park of Aruba.
Parke Curason at Jaburi-
bari is a fenced park with
covered basketball court,
football field, BMX racing
track, skateboard park,
workout stations, kid’s play
garden and a paved walk-
ing/running/biking path of
750 meter. It is located in
the neighborhood Jaburi-
bari and is a popular spot
for locals. If you would like
to ‘meet the locals’, join in
on some basketball games
and sniff some ‘couleure
local’, this is the place. But,
for me, the extra cherry on
the pie is the dedication of
the ‘father’ of the park to his
job: George Forbes.
George Forbes.

Face of the Place chat with Forbes. “I work the Aruban people love BMX training spot park allows me to practice
You have people that just here since 13 years and sports more now and that Jaymer Carolina, BMX-er, my sports, BMX, and there-
do their job and there are I love everything about is good. Comparing to confirms the importance of fore I can race abroad. But
people that make a differ- my job. I am supervisor the past it got better, that the park to his sport: “The this is also where I meet my
ence in the way they do and security. The people is why we need to focus park is my training field. I friends. The park is in high
their job. Forbes makes a come here every day and on maintaining the park”, train here 6 times a week need of maintenance and I
difference when you visit the connection with them George explains. He likes to from 5 to 7pm.” His club is hope this will be done soon
Parke Curason. He greets makes me happy.” He ex- do sports himself, and he is called Rough Riders Aruba and the government takes
visitors, walks around to plains that for a day the always walking around to where he rides in the 17-24 her responsibility in this.” This
take off helping a kid pump park gets about 150 visitors. help young and old. “I am age category. “But next opinion is shared by Sharit-
his football or pointing out “That is the average, it can not somebody that sits in a season I am planning to za Henriquez who likes to
a bump in the runway to be more in the weekend.” corner making my money. race elite, the pros. It’s all walk in the park. “There is a
a jogger. He even is con- All nations and all ages There are a lot of things about adrenaline, speed, lot of lacked maintenance
cerned with the cars that are represented, indeed a we need to take care of style and also trying to work like the workout stations.”
enter and directs them to multicultural all-generation to prevent accidents.” For your way up to the first For George this is nothing
an available parking spot. park. The park he believes George, his goal is to con- place.” Not only is the park new, he sees his park ev-
He is to most people of exists 14 years now, so he tinue making the people a home to BMX groups, ery day and is concerned
the park ‘the face of the was here from almost the happy and see the park also basketball teams, foot- about the state of it. “I
place’ and many times we beginning. fixed up. “I hope that the ball groups, skateboard fa- welcome more and more
forget to thank people like “The park at that time promised maintenance will natics, little children, bikers, people every time which is
him to stand out like this. looked amazing, every- come to reality very soon. runners and walkers find positive, but we need to fix
thing was new and in good It is very important as this their way. And after all it is things.”
150 daily visitors shape. More and more park has a crucial role.” also a social gathering spot. Parke Curason is open daily
Aruba Today had a little people are coming now, Like Daniel Tromp says: “This from 5am – 8:45pm.q

BMX group Rough Riders Aruba with Jaymer Carolina (left). BMX-ers with Daniel Tromp (right).