EC3 Global''s Certification Manager Ms Shey Parry, attended the launch of the new Negril Library, funded by EC3 member Rockhouse Hotel. Paul Salmon, Chairman of the Rockhouse Foundation and owner of the Rockhouse Hotel addressed delegates on their commitment to social and environmental sustainability, acknowledging their recent Benchmarking achievement and journey towards Certification following the weeks mock audit conducted as part of the Green Globe auditor training workshop. EC3 Global has committed to sponsoring a Green corner in the library, through the provision of educational tools and materials for the community.
On Thursday July 30th the Ribbon Cutting event celebrated the refurbishing and expansion of the Negril Library Branch by the Rockhouse Foundation. There was standing room only at the event Hosted by the Director General of Jamaica Library Services, Patricia Roberts, and featuring a keynote speech from the Jamaican Minister of Education, the Honorable Andrew Holness. Other speakers included the Chairman of the Jamaica Library Board Paul Lalor, Member of Parliament Wykeham Mcneil and our own Peter Rose, President of the Rockhouse Foundation and Paul Salmon, Chairman of the Rockhouse Foundation.
The library is Negril's oldest extant building and housed the original police station. It is located next door to the Negril All Age School and the Negril Basic School, two of the Rockhouse Foundation’s previous projects, whose students are amongst the Library’s most frequent users. For decades the library has had too little space and resources to meet the growing needs of students and community residents alike. The newly modernized, expanded facility will be almost four times larger, equipped with 15-20 new computers and thousands of new books, a spacious reading room and book stack section, as well as a colorful and engaging junior library.
When the Rockhouse Foundation teamed with the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) and the Negril community some 18 months ago to discuss the proposed library renovation it never imagined what a radically successful process was about to unfold. Armed with an inspired vision jointly crafted with JLS, a committee of local residents, and architects Chris Stone and David Douglass of Cornerstone Design, we broke ground last July and have now handed over a signature addition to the Negril community.
The new, improved library space will be a much needed resource and reflects the Foundation's ambition to support learning for children of all ages. With the completion of the library, the Rockhouse Hotel and Foundation has invested approximately J$100 million in community projects benefiting children since 2004.