by Michael
Bascombe
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, May 30, 2011 – The refurbishment of the Track and Field and Football Stadium will
be done in phases, according to Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister Patrick Simmons.
Speaking in
a radio interview on Monday, the Minister reiterated the Government’s promise
that the Stadium project will be completed in time for the 2012 track and field
season.
He said
that the track is among priorities as national athletes prepare for the Olympic
Games in London next year.
“Hence the
reason why we have decided that that is where we need to start and If we are going
to facilitate our athletes for the Olympics, we definitely will have to attend
to the track,” said Simmons in an interview with broadcaster Anthony “Jericho” Greenidge.
He said
there are concerns about starting work on the track first but believes that
when the covering of the main stand is in progress effort will be made to
protect the track.
“We need to
get the track going since some of our athletes will be returning home for
training.”
The
government has estimated that the refurbishment of the stadium will cost
approximately US$800,000.00 and is expected to make an announcement on the details
of the project in the coming weeks.
The Sports
Minister said that the lighting of playing fields project is continuing and the
parishes of St Andrew and St David are in line for attention.
“We are now
getting ready to do Victoria Park in Grenville. We had to remodel the Victoria
Park because of the high water table in that playing field. The tendering
process is right now on,” he said.
“We are
going to use metal poles for Victoria Park because of the water situation
there. Then we are going to proceed to La Sagesse in St David.”
Mr Simmons
said that Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has engaged GRENLEC (Grenada
Electricity Services Ltd) and they have agreed to assist in the lighting of the
Hermitage Playing Field in St Patrick.
He said the
Parish Sports Councils will be responsible for the management of the various
playing fields where the lights are installed.
He also
said that, with the assistance of GRENLEC, light meters will be placed at all
hard courts and playing fields which are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry
of Youth Empowerment and Sports.
The Sports
Minister said preliminary work is being done by a consultant for the rebuilding
of the pavilion at the Cuthbert Peters in St John.
“We are now
embarking on the start of construction of the pavilion at the Cuthbert Peters
Park,” he said. “The model that we are going to use is being worked on now and
probably later in the year we should start some construction work in St John on
that pavilion that we have promised.”
He said the
basketball facility for Grenville is also among priorities for the Ministry in
2011.
“As you may
be aware we have a relocation issue because of the Greater Grenville Project
and we have identified a lot of land and we have been doing some work there.”
2 comments:
I'm perplexed - I find it hard to believe that the brand new Stadium that was built after Ivan is already in need of so much refurbishment. From exile in the UK.
Anonymous, please read before posting. The stadium in questioned is the Track and Field and Football Stadium. When was this stadium built after Ivan? Please check your facts before posting.
Post a Comment