Portmore, Saint Catherine

Portmore
Portmore
City
	Nickname: The Sunshine City
Country	Jamaica
County	Middlesex
Parish	St Catherine
Founded	1960s
Municipalities Act grants municipal status	2003-05
Government
Population
• Estimate (2011)	182,153
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
Area code	+1876
Website	portmore.info; portmore.com

Portmore is a coastal city in southern Jamaica in Saint Catherine, and a dormitory town for the neighbouring cities of Kingston and Spanish Town.

Geography

Portmore is built on a generally flat plain facing the Kingston Harbour with an intricate canal system which prevents flooding.^[3] Much of the land is reclaimed swamp.^[3] The Port Henderson hill, apart from the Salt pond hill is visible from neighbouring parishes and was a possible Arawak grave site. Because the Arawak buried their dead in caverns, which Port Henderson hill is riddled with. The most famous cave is named "Twin Sisters"^[3]

History

Portmore began as a large area for schematic residential development in the late 1960s,^[3] as the WIHCON organization built thousands of prototype housing units in an effort to alleviate the over-population of Kingston; the first was called Independence City.^[3] It has since grown into a suburban city to Kingston; its large population travels into Kingston daily for work, schooling, and many other essential services via the Portmore toll road.

Portmore was granted Municipality status in 2003,^[1] and has its own City Council and Mayor, following the British-based model of Jamaican local government.^[1] It now houses approximately 10% of the population of the Kingston Corporate Area.

Currently George Lee is Portmore's mayor since 2012.

Portmore has affiliations with music artist Vybz Kartel and Kemmarie Blake and keta-gaye cummings

Economy

While Portmore is not marketed as a tourist destination for the millions of incoming travellers to Jamaica every year, there are many places for entertainment, eating, relaxing and enjoyment such beaches, restaurants, hotels and much more.

Transportation

Portmore is served by JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transport Company) which provides bus transportation for Portmore residents both locally and into Kingston and Spanish Town.

The Portmore Toll Road is the major commuter Highway which connects the two cities of Kingston and Portmore via the Hunts Bay Bridge, and Portmore to the old capital of Spanish Town with three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)

The city is served by the Norman Manley International Airport with over 130 flights weekly..

Sport

Portmore has a professional soccer team that plays in the Jamaican National Premier League. It was originally Hazard United from May Pen but following its relocation is now called Portmore United F.C..

Horse Racing is popular and all major horse races are run at Caymanas Park located in north Portmore.

Neighbourhoods and districts

Bernard Lodge
Braeton
Bridgeport
Bridgeview
Caribbean Estates
Cedar Grove Estate
Christian Gardens
Christian Meadows
Cumberland
Cumberland Meadows
Daytona
Edgewater
Garveymeade
Greater Portmore
Gregory Park
Hamilton Gardens
Hellshire
Independence City
Marine Park
Monza
Morris Meadows
Mount Royal Estate
Naggo Head
Passage Fort
Portmore Country Club
Portmore Pines
Portsmouth
Portmore Villa
Silverstone
South Boro
Waterford
West Cumberland
West Mead
Westchester
Westport
Westbay

External links

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Methodology Study^{[dead link]}, Eris D. Schoburgh, Local Government Reform - National Advisory Council, Department of Local Government.
^ http://www.jis.gov.jm/pdf/General%20Report%20Census%202011%20Revised%20Copy%20Oct.%2019.pdf
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e A short history of Portmore, page 2.

[NAC-1] Methodology Study^{[dead link]}, Eris D. Schoburgh, Local Government Reform - National Advisory Council, Department of Local Government.

[2] ttp://www.jis.gov.jm/pdf/General%20Report%20Census%202011%20Revised%20Copy%20Oct.%2019.pdf

[Pg2-3] A short history of Portmore, page 2.

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