The centre of the city was constructed in three years. It includes Assembly buildings, government offices, a power station, a hospital, schools, a radio station, a telephone exchange, police stations, a post office, and more than 1,000 houses. Much of the city was in place for Independence Day on September 30 1966, when the county became independent of the United Kingdom. The first mayor of Gaborone was Rev J. D. Jones. The old Gaberones became a suburb of the new Gaborone, and is now known as "the Village".