Popcaan May Be Developing An Attraction At His River Getaway Spot In St. Thomas
With the staging of his Unruly Fest concerts in St. Thomas, many fans of dancehall icon Popcaan will know how significant the venue of the show is to him, since it is the place where the Family deejay spent his earliest years growing up.
There is a little stream in the area of Sunning Hill within the Jamaican parish that is said to be his getaway from the chaos of city life when he wants some perspective on things. “Sometime mi just go in a di country, and just chill ….up pon di riverbed. Nobody nuh know… mi just missing,” Popcaan said in an interview with the Fader back in the summer of 2014.
Over the years, whether through his social media or his music videos like Sex On The River, he has made the Roaring River quite popular by his frequent visits. It has become somewhat of a hidden treasure that some fans have become familiar with and even expressed their interest in exploring.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ZsC76l5gr/
Now it appears that Popcaan wants to capitalize on his famed little retreat. According to The Star in an interview with Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Thomas, Dr. Fenton Ferguson yesterday May 13th, not only were there talks to establish an attraction in the parish but perhaps at Popcaan’s favorite spot by the water.
The Here To Stay singer recently visited with the MP to discuss creating an undisclosed ‘type’ of themed park. Ferguson said, “There is a particular area in Sunning Hill that he has always spent time enjoying when he’s in the parish; an area near a river. He has a general interest in that area and the potential for an attraction.”
Fenton said he didn’t want to divulge too much as they’ve not explored the required approvals to move the plans along just yet. Nonetheless, the news has excited residents in the area and sparked hope with the MP.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8tw5snFzhS/
The parish of St. Thomas and the existing communities are among some of the underdeveloped areas on the island. Popcaan has always been very public about wanting to improve the area. One such exploit is his highly acclaimed Unruly Fest concerts that have hosted international musicians such as Grammy award-winning rapper Drake, as well as Nigerian singer Davido and rapper Tory Lanez.
These along with several leading dancehall acts such as Bounty Killer, Agent Sasco, Protoje, Cocoa Tea, Tanya Stephens plus many others have also been featured on the show’s lineup since its inception in 2018. Popcaan is steadfast in the 2020 staging and promotions are indicating December 19th as the next date.
According to several sources, the roads leading into the parish are currently under works. Let’s not forget the attention the reigning Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh has brought to the community as well. Like Popcaan, the beauty queen was born and bred on the soils of St. Thomas.
While there are some picturesque sites and several natural attractions that cater to recreational enthusiasts and adventure seekers, the parish could really do with a boost. Let’s hope Popcaan comes through with his exciting plans for a new attraction.