Pembroke East residents can expect a new, expanded recreational area by the end of the year.

Parks director William Cook yesterday told The Royal Gazette Government had plans to give the 25-year-old park at Parsons Road an eight-month facelift, set up a basketball court farther west of the park, and create an open space area for children.

And Mr. Cook said the Parks department will take over the old Pembroke Park once Works and Engineering revamped the site.

The playground has been closed since last summer due to lack of funds.

A formal complaint was lodged about the poor state of the equipment and bathrooms in the playground and the Health Department suggested it be closed until money was found for repairs.

Government is expected to pump some $50,000 worth of new equipment into the facility.

But yesterday Mr. Cook said before the overhauling of the playground could begin, Works and Engineering had to repave the road near the playground and put in a sidewalk.

"We need to know how much space we will be dealing with since the road will have to remain a certain width and the sidewalk will likely cut into some of the land,'' he explained. "We'll know how much in the next two weeks.'' Once the road is paved, the Pembroke Park will receive an eight-month facelift.

The area by Glebe Road will be turned into a playground for children 12-years of age and under and will have equipment similar to that found at the Shelly Bay Park, Mr. Cook said.

"We're going to make a shaded area where the elderly from the Pembroke Parish Home (which is located opposite the playground) can sit,'' he added. "They can watch the younger ones play while they are sitting.'' Last year Finance Minister Grant Gibbons, who was acting as Works and Engineering Minister, stressed that Government was committed to making "Parson's Road playground comparable to what is in place at Warwick Long Bay and Mullett Bay''.

And yesterday Mr. Cook also disclosed that a basketball court will be set up for teenagers farther down the road from the playground, heading towards the Transport Control Department.

Nearby farmland will be turned into an open area where children can run around or play games, he added. And two small parking lots will also be created.

Mr. Cook said he hoped construction on the revamped park would get underway in April and be completed by November, providing that the play equipment arrives within that time.

Alpheaus Black of the Pembroke Parish Council, which formerly operated the playground, said he would like to see the area modelled after the Mullet Bay playground in St. George's.

However, he said: "I'd like to see how far away the basketball court will be from the playground. Sometimes profane language is used on the courts and I wouldn't want the younger kids to hear it.'' But Mr. Cooke said the basketball courts will be located away from the area for children under 12 for that precise reason.