-by Shamiah Grant

The US$10.8 million Guyana-China Friendship Park formerly known as the Joe Vieira Park is now 100 per cent complete and scheduled to open its gates shortly.

This transformation has turned the site into a premier, modern recreational hub designed for families, sports, and community gatherings.

The upgraded facility boasts an array of scenic features, including forest picnic area, wooden walkways, a beautifully landscaped lake complemented by elegant bridges and corridors.

Diverse recreational zones tailored for both relaxation and active play.

In an interview with NCN News, Foreign Secretary and PAC Chairman Robert Persaud emphasised that the park will play a pivotal role in boosting local tourism while providing a central venue for traditional festivals and national holidays. Above all, he noted, it offers a safe, modern, and comfortable environment for Guyanese families.

“But certainly when tourists and others come they also want an area that they can go to permit to attempt to have some form of outdoor fun and enjoy some of the unique features that Guyana offer and certainly this park will give them a taste,” he asserted.

Project Coordinator Ken Gulliver echoed similar sentiments, promising visitors a world-class experience. Gulliver noted that the attention to detail in the park’s design ensures there is “a lot to look forward to” for every citizen.

“We have structures like the pavilion gallery, the landscape bridge, structures like the football stand these structures, these designs are similar to that of traditional Chinese designs, the park the recreational spaces has being updated and amended to make it more safe,”

The ambitious project was a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute.

Construction officially commenced on July 26, 2024, and ended on January 25, 2025.