The Ministry of the Environment has reached out to communities, it was announced in the Budget speech on Friday.

The proposed budget for the Ministry of the Environment is $22 million, of which $1 million will be spent on the Community Areas Programme (CAP).

?CAP will bring together the public and private sectors in a partnership to implement schemes of improvement most favoured by the residents of various neighbourhoods,? Finance Minister Paula Cox said in the House of Assembly on Friday.

?While the overriding objective will be to upgrade the local environment, in a wider context CAP is also an initiative to stimulate community spirit and a sense of pride, and strengthen social cohesion?.

Neighbourhoods will be given the options of either minor road, sidewalk and lighting improvements, traffic calming measures, landscaping and planting or even general clean-up campaigns.

Other areas might prefer the provision of cycle or footpath systems, acquiring land for local open space needs, upgrading housing and derelict buildings, encouraging local schools to become involved in practical programmes and in researching the history of the neighbourhood, or erecting plaques to identify locations or events of historical importance.

CAP it a cross-Ministry initiative involving Works, Engineering and Housing, Community Affairs and Sport and Education and Development.

The programme has a budget of $1 million.

?CAP?s genesis arose from Government?s experience in promoting and funding the St. Monica?s Mission neighbourhood plan,? Ms Cox said. ?That experience confirmed that strong community leadership and involvement are the keys to success. In this regard, the North Village Community Trust is to be commended for its community leadership. It is a model for other neighbourhoods to follow?.

Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield said yesterday: ?The purpose of the project is to prepare, design and implement environmental plans for Bermuda?s well-established, high-density residential neighbourhoods in cooperation with local residents and community leaders?.

The first project of the Community Areas programme will be the William Wilson park on St. Monica?s Road.

St. Monica?s Road runs parallel with North Shore Road and Marsh Folly Road in Pembroke.

The park is nearly finished and will be opened officially by the end of February.

She said Chairman of the North Village Community Trust, Major Kenneth Dill, guaranteed the success of the project.

?The St. Monica?s area faces many social challenges and this project is the first step in improving the quality of life for the residents,? the Minister said.

In order to build the park, the Ministry identified and bought an overgrown lot and with the help of the North Village community, it was turned into William Wilson park.

This park will provide much needed green space in this high density neighbourhood and is part of a wider initiative of the North Village Community Trust in cleaning up the St. Monica?s Road area, she said.

This is the first of many CAP projects as one or two communities will be targeted each year.

?An inter-departmental working group has been set up to advertise for and recommend further sites where the Ministry of the Environment can partner with local community groups to improve their neighbourhood,? she said.

A total of seven neighbourhoods submitted proposals last year for the scheme. One site was identified as the primary project with two other smaller projects where the Ministry can assist directly.

?The other applications are minor in nature and have been referred to individual Government Department?s to assist,? the Minister said.

Once a plan of action has been agreed within the communities, the Minister said she would make further announcements.

Ms Butterfield said she could not comment on whether or not more money had been set aside for more Planning Enforcement Officers at the Department of Planning.

Despite the number of inspections increasing from 39 previously, to 203 currently, no new money was allocated for more staff.

The Buy Back Bermuda campaign being spearheaded by the Bermuda National Trust and the Bermuda Audubon Society did not receive any money from Government during this budget.

?Buy Back could get a grant for sponsorship,? Ms Butterfield said. ?The Ministry of the Environment has grants. It is an ongoing thing. We have been doing it for many years now.?