A Park, A Dream / 14ymedio, Yosmany Mayeta

A worker renovating Havana’s Martin Luther King Park

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Yosmany Mayeta, Havana, 17 January 2017 — The neighbors of Martin Luther King Jr. Park have long cherished the dream of seeing a renewal for this piece of calm located in the middle of the hustle and bustle of 23rd Street in Havana’s Vedado district.

After years of deterioration, the small square began to be repaired in the middle of December, but the delay in the works prevented its being ready this Sunday, the 88th birthday of the United States preacher.

Difficulties in the supply of building materials and instability in the workforce have delayed the restoration beyond the date planned. A gardener from Community Services working in the green areas of the park told 14ymedio that new date could be before the end of this week, but did confirm the day.

The monument to Martin Luther King in the Havana park that bears his name

Martin Luther King Jr. has been an admired figure on the Island not only among Protestants and the Afro-descendant community, but also among dissidents. The park dedicated to him is a frequent meeting point for activists and a place to demand respect for human rights.

The park that bears his name is about to reopen, but his dreams of freedom and understanding seem far from being realized for Cubans.