Page 16 - ARUBA TODAY

A16 LOCAL
Tuesday 17 april 2018

‘Father’ of Parke Curason: George Forbes

By Linda Reijnders is why we need to focus
For years I have been on maintaining the park”,
practicing sports at the ac- George explains. He likes to
tual only real sport park in do sports himself, and he is
Aruba. Parke Curason at always walking around to
Jaburibari is a fenced park help young and old. “I am
with covered basketball not somebody that sits in a
field, football field, BMX corner making my money.
racing track, skateboard There are a lot of things
field, workout stations, kid’s we need to take care of
play garden and a paved to prevent accidents.” For
walking/running/biking George, his goal is to con-
path of 750 meter. It is lo- tinue making the people
cated in the neighborhood happy and see the park
Jaburibari and a popular fixed up. “I hope that the
spot for locals. If you would promised maintenance will
like to ‘meet the locals’, come to reality very soon.
join in on some basketball It is very important as this
games and sniff some ‘cou- park has a crucial role.”
lure local’, this is the place.
But, for me, the cherry on BMX training spot
the pie is the dedication of Jaymer Carolina, BMX-er,
the ‘father’ of the park to his confirms the importance of
job: meet George Forbes. the park to his sport: “The
park is my training field. I
Face of the Place train here 6 times a week
There are people that just from 5 to 7 pm.” His club is
do their job and there are called Rough Riders Aruba
people that make a differ- where he rides in the 17-24
ence in the way they do age category.
their job. Forbes makes a “But next season I am plan-
difference when you visit ning to race elite, the pros.
Parke Curason. He greets It’s all about adrenaline,
visitors, walks around to speed, style and also try-
take off helping a kid pump ing to work your way up to
his football or pointing out the first place.” Not only is
a bump in the runway to the park a home to BMX
a jogger. He even is con- groups, also basketball
cerned with the cars that teams, football groups,
enter and directs them to skateboard fanatics, little
an available parking spot. children, bikers, runners
He is to most people of and walkers find their way.
the park ‘the face of the And after all it is also a so-
place’ and many times we cial gathering spot. Like
forget to thank people like Daniel Tromp says: “This
him to stand out like this. park allows me to practice
my sports, BMX, and there-
150 daily visitors chat with Forbes. “I work I love everything about and security. The people fore I can race abroad. But
Aruba Today had a little here since 13 years and my job. I am supervisor come here every day and this is also where I meet my
the connection with them friends.
makes me happy.” He ex- The park is in high need of
plains that for a day the maintenance and I hope
park gets about 150 visitors. this will be done soon and
“That is the average, it can the government takes her
be more in the weekend.” responsibility in this.” This
All nations and all ages opinion is shared by Sharit-
are represented, indeed a za Henriquez who likes to
multicultural all-generation walk in the park. “There is a
park. The park he believes lot of lacked maintenance
exists 14 years now, so he like the workout stations.”
was here from almost the For George this is nothing
beginning. new, he sees his park ev-
“The park at that time ery day and is concerned
looked amazing, every- about the state of it. “I
thing was new and in good welcome more and more
shape. More and more people every time which is
people are coming now, positive, but we need to fix
the Aruban people love things.”
sports more now and that
is good. Comparing to Parke Curason is open daily
the past it got better, that from 5 am – 8.45 pmq