Proud as a peacock

Fifteen years ago, residents of the lower Ivy Road community in St Andrew decided to come together and build a community park. But they wanted it to be different.

The park has the regular gazebos, park benches and swings, but the main feature of this park is the animals, which includes; rabbits, ducks, fish, guinea pigs, and the main attraction-peacocks.

“It is a community park, the whole community fix together and take care a di park. Yuh see how with the trees all bout pan di area, and wi have animals all over, so wi just set up a park, because dem seh dung here suh a ghetto, so a wi haffi build fi wi own a environment,” said Ronny Duncan, a resident of the community.

The peacocks are made to roam free around the park, but other animals aren’t so lucky. Parrots, rabbits, and guinea pigs are locked in their cages.

Joseph Walker, the caretaker, said that the park belongs to the community, and everyone takes a part in its upkeep.

“The people dem just come in, and chill and relax, play some games if dem feel like, and dem way deh. You see relaxation deh all bout?”

In explaining the vision for the park, Duncan said the residents wanted to fill it with exotic animals, and they started out with two peacocks.

“We just love birds, but peacock just different, true it kinda rare, we buy two a dem. When wi buy, wi pay $28,000 fi dem, and wi start raise dem,” he said.

But after 15 years, the peacock population has expanded, and the residents are looking to sell some.

“Dem just a build up to a maximum, and wi seh might be wi can sell two. Now we have bout 50 peacocks, we have bout 21 young peacocks right now. Since wi put up the sign that we selling, we get a lot of enquiries. But some people will think that the price dem is like $2,000, but peacock is a rare bird, it dear,” he said.

A pair of the peacocks is being sold for $25,000.

“The money would buy feeding, and other things fi keep up the park, and keep the thing,” he said.