Cowfield community youths’ dream of having a center for recreation was at the verge of fulfillment, leaving them in a state of euphoria. But on Monday, the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC), through its Zoning and City Planning, rejecting the project for its planned construction on an alley.
“This entity has policy and ordinances. We do not encourage anybody to build on the alley,” Augustine Kpakolo, Director of Zoning and City Planning, PCC, said, pursing his lips.
On Saturday, the youths gathered at the Royal Foundation School of Du-Port Road, Cowfield Community and gave an alley to Montserrado County’s district #4 Representative, Rustolyn Suacco Dennis, to erect their center there.
“We have told Representative Dennis the need for the construction of our center, and she is here,” Faith Smith, the community’s Youth President, said. “She has expressed her willingness to construct the center for our wellbeing on the site.”
The project, to give relief to the youths, would be constructed over three months. It is along with two other projects to be undertaken by the representative, as a sign of appreciation to the people of Cowfield.
“We are starting a youth center this month. Give us the period of 90-day. Give us up to December. This week, you will see your materials coming,” Representative Dennis told the cheerful youths. “Our next project will be the mobile clinic and connecting the road from Du-Port Road to Soul Clinic Community.”
While some of the youths welcomed the development initiative, others opposed it, saying construction on an alley is not guarantee, is illegal and would deny citizens and vehicles free movement.
“Some time we have fire disaster in our community; by blocking the alley will stop cars from going where the fire occurs. People living behind the avenue will not have access to the street and free movement,” Daniel T. William, a concerned youth of the community, said. “Anything that is not done properly is not done at all. The project will be a waste.”
The situation is fueling anger in the community. The youths are divided, with some in favor of the center’s construction but others rejecting it.
“Going on the site to construct would be dangerous because anytime government can make use of the alley or carry out development,” a group of angry youths said. “Government will play politics with the site and destroy it upon completion.”
“The center will benefit us. We will have a place to play, so there is no need for division or technicality,” the community’s Youth Vice President said.
The alley is a hub of garbage in the community, where mosquitoes breed. Its odor pollutes the community, which has approximately 25,000 inhabitants. Its leaders welcomes the youth center to make the area free of dirt.
“Erecting the youth center is a decision that has been agreed upon by the community,” Cyrus Gweh, the community’s Acting Chairman said, pointing his fingers at youths who opposed the project. “Those that disagreed cannot come for community activities.”
The community’s action to give the alley to Representative Dennis to construct a youth center is a violation of the PCC zoning and city planning ordinance and contravenes the Ministry of Public Works zoning order.
“If the community says PCC gives somebody the go ahead to build on an alley without documentation, it is a fallacy. In fact, we cannot do it,” said Kpakolo. “The entity was enacted into law to give free access to alley, which is one of its ordinances. The honorable cannot even ask us to give her the permit to build there.”
The community, with a high youth population, lacks spacious areas for project implementation. Land for project erections has been a challenge in the community. During the Chairmanship of Thomas G. Pluatoe, Living Water instructed the community to identify a spot for hand pump construction, but it struggled to get a piece of land for the purpose.
“We checked all around and found no land. At the giving up stage, a woman gave a portion of land for the construction,” Johnson Chea, a permanent resident of the community, said.