A north shore overlook where children’s amenities had fallen into disrepair now has its playground back, thanks to a partnership between residents, government officials and generous executives from the business community.

“The children’s smiles speak volumes about the ripple effects of this collaboration,” said Sylvia Oliveira, a member of the Bermuda Long-Term Insurers and Reinsurers who led the group’s campaign for the revival of the Loyal Hill Community Playground — raising more than $100,000 for the project.

Ms Oliveira spoke after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility on a 2.2-acre strip of land with a long history in the tight-knit community of Loyal Hill in Devonshire.

The area dates back to the will of Father William Cox, who left the land to the Catholic Church to build a retreat for priests.

Father Cox, who was the uncle of the former Speaker of the House, Sir John Cox, stipulated that if the church was not able to use the land within 15 years, it should go to the Government — which it did.

Area residents had other plans, and after a campaign in the 1990s, the Loyal Hill Community Committee converted the field to a playground that got its official opening in April 1997.

The park became a community hub for sports events as well as children, but its play area declined over the years.

Chioke Hewey, who grew up in the neighbourhood, said he had been taking his three-year-old son to enjoy the new equipment.

Mr Hewey said: “It’s good for the youth — it gives them something to do, brings back a sense of community.”

Asked how long the playground had been in less than ideal shape, Mr Hewey laughed.

“It’s been a long time,” he said.

By 2010, the popular hangout was marred with rusty swings and broken equipment.

Aliyah Philpott, another lifelong resident, said she looked forward to seeing the new playground with her daughter, who likes riding her bike along the Railway Trail passing through their neighbourhood.

She said: “I’ve lived here my whole life, so growing up here, I used to ride my bike on the trail when it was a proper playground.

“In between middle school and up to now it’s been derelict, so that’s 15-ish years.”

The ribbon-cutting at the park on April 4 brought Diallo Rabain, the Cabinet Office minister, with government senators Mischa Fubler and Lindsay Simmons, and Charryse Bean, director of sport and recreation.

They were joined by area residents and representatives from several donating companies.

Oshandah Lightbourne, who was part of the neighbourhood committee that worked with Biltir, said children from the area did not want to leave after the ceremony.

Their next project for the park will be to trim back trees.

Ms Lightbourne said children, who rode their bikes and played with their dogs in the field, now had an added incentive to come out with the playground back.

She said the field was used for community events such as Good Friday but the playground’s decline worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, when people began using the spot as “a dumping ground”.

“That’s when we said, no, this is not what we want for our community, so we took a stand to take it back so others could enjoy it too,” she said.

“Once spring comes, everyone comes through the Railway Trail, so we had to clean it up and get it back together.

“We are for ever grateful to Biltir. They actually reached out to Mr Rabain who contacted me. That’s when we got the ball rolling.

“Biltir have a project going to refurbish playgrounds. We reached out to come in with them, raise funds together, and I contacted a few others in the neighbourhood who lived here for donkey’s years. Everyone was on board.”

She added: “Biltir were a big, generous help. They came up with a design, we looked at it, and it was great.”

The group knew of the park because it stands along a section of the Railway Trail that Biltir had adopted.

“The local talent in Bermuda is what drives our global reinsurance business, and the Loyal Hill Playground is our gift back to the community that has helped make Biltir the organisation it is today,” said Suzanne Williams-Charles, the chief executive of Biltir.

“It’s our responsibility to support our community, and this playground provides a space for local families to come together and enjoy time with their loved ones.”

Donors to the cause were all reinsurance companies with Bermuda offices.

They include Athene, Chubb, Dai-ichi Re, Hannover Re, Monument Re, Pacific Life Re, Wilton Re, Agam Bermuda Ltd, Kuvare Re, Legal & General, Martello Re, SFG Bermuda Ltd, Soteria Re, Symetra Bermuda Re and American Fidelity.

Horsfield Landscape was responsible for the design and execution of the project’s construction.