Lauriston Watson (right) receiving his Actor Boy Award in 2003
By Basil Waite
Mixing cricket with heritage, culture and art
Lauriston Watson, head of KC's department of the Visual and Performing Arts, has penned a proposal for the establishment of a cricket theme park called the Smith-Holding park as part of a plan to expand an existing space on the grounds of Kingston College North street campus.
The project is named after two Jamaican, West-Indian and Kingston College great cricket personalities, which is according to the paper, ‘ a fitting honor of the outstanding contribution to the game of cricket by the sensational batsman Collie Smith…..and also Michael Holding a fantastic fast bowler of similar heritage.”
It is proposed that the park be sited to the western section of the recently renovated Neil/Mclean Cricket Nursery and should serve to enhance the potential and broaden the scope of the latter to more than what it is presently used for: The Kingston College cricket team practice venue.
Goals
Speaking from his Eltham Park residence, the project author, Lauriston Watson outlined the main features and goals of the project as follows:
Creation of a sculptured piece “ to show the awesome elegance of the rhythm of Collie Smith the consummate batsman and the ‘Rolls Royce ‘of bowling, Michael Holding”. This aspect of the project will seek to entice the collaboration of two tremendously gifted graduates of the Visual Arts Department-Raymond and Basil Watson.
To beautify the area with decorated walls. Assigning murals with themes that speak to the beauty of the game of cricket, as well as the heritage / legacy of the forerunners that is part of the Kingston college family.
To create mini garden/park, using walkway to create corridors through chosen plan, creating a journey that leads to a focal point. The garden would also have an area designed for rest and amphitheatre for the wider community to come in and enjoy.
To imbed in this garden/park a wall of fame and statistics board.
To impress international audiences as well as attracting a wide cross-section of persons due to the impressive aesthetic and historical value of the park.
To make the space into an avenue where curiosity is arrested about the game of cricket by the artwork and information on the rules and philosophy that will be a feature.
To open up the facility to young boys and girls of the neighboring community, to teach the proper skills of the game.
Partners
National famed and current set manger of LTM Pantomime indicated in his project proposal that in order to fulfill its realization, the project will seek to embrace the involvement of public and private sector and well as civic society in partnership for progress. The project will therefore target the following:
. As a strong advocate for arts and culture CHASE fund will be actively pursed to secure adequate funding.
. Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF); This organization could assist with the mentoring training and mentorship programme that is needed as an appendage to the Nursery and park.
. Cement Company has a beautification project arm and this community effort will greatly benefit from their product.
. The Kingston College Old Boys Associations
. Scotia Bank whose Kiddies cricket programme “ is not primarily to produce stars, but to reintroduce cricket into the school system.”
. SAGICOR: who is part of the community; they have an industrial complex, must feel obliged to play their part in unearthing talent and assisting in the maturity of a volatile community.
Existing wall of fame
. Collaboration with the school’s Industrial Arts and Industrial Arts Department- The process of creating the monumental sculpture piece could be used as tremendous learning tools for the existing Industrial arts Department, with their welding department, carpentry, technical drawing and electrical department. The Visual Arts Department could entice two of its tremendously gifted graduates, Raymond and Basil Watson to the project. The creation of the sculpture along with the mural and gardens could be set up in workshop style activities.
. Ray Harvey an artist who has already agreed to create a plaque for the Neil/McLean Nursery will be asked to assist in the realization of the heritage and wall of fame engravings.
. To eventually open the facility to the Mustard Seed Summer school programme
. The project would provide the facility and opportunity to involve Alpha Girls School to the game of cricket. Also the forward planning of a ladies school cricket competition could be generated from this base, as is not only Alpha Girls neighbors but other schools with girls exist in the community, for example Kingston Technical High School, Holy Trinity High, Kingston High, Vauxhall High and Camperdown High.
Staff /Administration . Steering committee - This will involve Churchill Neita, Basil Waite, Roy McLean and The Acting Principal Mr. Burrell. . Project designers, Manger of operations, Accounting officer, Fund raising team, Art Director and artistic team, Electrician, Engineering team, the school’s technical department
Budget
Mr. Watson has crafted a conservative budget of J$1,300,000. The material component totaled $520,000 and labour transport and communication totaling J$780,000.
A Wolmers old boy, Laursiton A. Watson has been teaching Visual Arts at Kingston College since 1985. He used to coach the KC junior colts football team and continues to be the teaching staff representative on the management team of the various KC football squads. He is presently head of the Department of the Visual and Performing Arts at KC.
Larry as he is called, was inducted in the Caribbean Hall of Fame for the Arts in 2003. In 2004 he received the Actor Boy Award for Contribution to Theatre. He has participated in 30 LTM Pantomimes mainly as set manger and was on occasion part of the acting cast (throw down some wicked legs in 2008 "Nuff and Plenty"). He is married to Sonia Watson, Guidance Counselor at the Melbourne campus as well as one of the movers behind the multipurpose building.
