Exciting plans to renovate parks were revealed by Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield yesterday.

Harlem Heights in Hamilton parish will get a playground for children aged 7 to 14 while the Ladies Chambers area in West Pembroke will be landscaped into a small shore-side park.

Overgrown vegetation and debris will be removed and the park will be designed with input from West Pembroke Primary School children and residents.

Landscaping measures are also envisaged around the Church of God of Prophecy in Curving Avenue.

Improvements could include sidewalk and footpath changes, clean-up campaigns and plaques to celebrate local history.

Work will continue on the William F. Wilson Memorial Park in St. Monica?s Mission area with the upgrading of the Pig?s Field area. A small community centre will be erected, a multi-use sports field put in with a hard surface basketball court and a picnic area and children?s playground erected.

She said the initial work had gone well.

?Some said it would fail, it would not be there in a week or two but we communicated with the people in the community and asked them to protect it for us.?

Ms Butterfield also announced penalties for offences in parks will be increased in a crack down on vandalism, litter, illegal access by horses and dogs, dog and horse waste, parking of trailers and containers and illegal camping and squatting.

The Minister also announced plans to create new marine parks adjacent to terrestrial parks and nature reserves in order to give greater protection to sensitive habitats such as sea grass beds and mangroves.

A new category of protected area entitled Marine Park will be created and administered by the Conservation Services.