‘Spring of Life’ keeps Springvale refreshed

Nestled in the hills of Bog Walk, St Catherine, is a small but powerful spring that has been the life of the Springvale community.

Dubbed 'the Spring of Life' by some residents, the Springvale River is the main source of water for the community.

"Mi born and grow yah and from I born to this day, a di only place mi get water," said 75-year-old Carlton Thompson, who rode from his home on a motorcycle to catch a gallon of drinking water.

However, not all residents have to travel to the spring as some purchase from water trucks who pump the water from the spring and charge between $500 for a small bucket to $4,000 to fill a 400-gallon tank. Other residents who live close by run pipes from the spring to their homes. One such person is Oneika Hyde, whose partner has a farm nearby. The couple grow crops and raise animals such as pigs, goats and chickens.

Hyde, 38, has lived in Springvale all her life and due to the importance of the spring, she has decided to play a part in protecting it.

"Everybody in a di community benefit, all nearby communities get water from it. So we have to mek sure seh it stay clean. So nobody nuh bathe in there, nobody nuh throw nothing in there at all. Everybody protect it because without it, we nuh have no clean water," said Hyde, who owns a shop across from the spring and helps to clean it regularly.

Beyond being the lifeforce of the community, the Spring Vale River has fostered a great deal of unity among the residents and is the perfect recreational hotspot. Adjacent to the main spring is a shallow pool where children frolic, and during rainy seasons, a nearby pond swells, enticing locals to leap from a bridge into its refreshing waters.

On a scorching Sunday afternoon, THE STAR visited the spring to find four teenage boys delighting in the water, despite its shallow depth. However, what truly captured attention was a family of five that was exploring real estate options in the community. After witnessing the spring's beauty, they couldn't resist a refreshing swim.

"This is wonderful. It's cool and refreshing and beautiful, it makes me feel youthful," said Kimone Subahwon as she observed her daughter, Genesis, and two sons, Joshua and Aiden, playing in the water.