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Windsor Castle All Age School Gets Sport Facilities
Saturday, 19 June 2010 18:00
A multi-purpose, fenced court, with lights and changing rooms valued at some $3.7 million has been established at the Windsor Castle All Age School in Portland.
Funds for the facilities were provided through the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), which falls under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The installation of the lights cost some $805,000 while approximately $1.4 million was spent to erect the fence around the court, and the construction of the changing rooms cost a total of $1.5 million.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange turned on the lights and cut the ribbon to officially open the changing rooms at a handing over ceremony held yesterday (Friday, June 18) on the school's lawn. Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz also participated in the opening ceremony.
In her address, Minister Grange said that the SDF was happy to support the sports programme. She said that it was important for young people to be involved in sports because it teaches life skills that would ensure success as a nation.
"It teaches discipline. It teaches team spirit, you are able to develop skills that you would need when you get older and you also can have careers in sports," Minister Grange told the gathering of students, teachers, and community members.
She told the students that they could become great athletes, like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melaine Walker, as well as professionals in various sports affiliated fields.
"What we are doing today is to help you to develop into that individual," she added.
The Minister also used the occasion to donate two goal posts to the school, which she said could be set up to play football matches on the court. However, she advised the students to wear sneakers, while playing the game and not football boots.
Outlining plans for other sporting facilities in West Portland, Minister Vaz, who is the Member of Parliament for West Portland, said that the Heart Hill Football Field in Portland, which was destroyed after it was used as a construction and equipment storage area by a local company, will be restored and upgraded. He said the company has since promised to donate some $200,000 towards the restoration of the ground.
Additionally, the Minister disclosed that other businesses will be donating material and equipment towards the project to help in the rehabilitation efforts.
Meanwhile, he said that refurbishing work is in progress at the football field in Woodstock Housing Scheme in the parish, where some preliminary work was funded by the CHASE (Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education) Fund, and the SDF.
"It is the intention for CHASE to continue to finish the community centre, which the community has put a lot of work into and through my CDF (Community Development Fund), I intend to light the multi-purpose court at Woodstock Housing Scheme, so that residents could have some activities during the evening," he said.
The Minister implored the students and teachers to continue to maintain the facilities at the school, so that future students and teachers could make use of them.
"You must play hard but you must take care of your facilities, whether it is the classroom desks, chairs or the court or the building," he said.
Saturday, 19 June 2010 18:00
A multi-purpose, fenced court, with lights and changing rooms valued at some $3.7 million has been established at the Windsor Castle All Age School in Portland.
Funds for the facilities were provided through the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), which falls under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. The installation of the lights cost some $805,000 while approximately $1.4 million was spent to erect the fence around the court, and the construction of the changing rooms cost a total of $1.5 million.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange turned on the lights and cut the ribbon to officially open the changing rooms at a handing over ceremony held yesterday (Friday, June 18) on the school's lawn. Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz also participated in the opening ceremony.
In her address, Minister Grange said that the SDF was happy to support the sports programme. She said that it was important for young people to be involved in sports because it teaches life skills that would ensure success as a nation.
"It teaches discipline. It teaches team spirit, you are able to develop skills that you would need when you get older and you also can have careers in sports," Minister Grange told the gathering of students, teachers, and community members.
She told the students that they could become great athletes, like Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melaine Walker, as well as professionals in various sports affiliated fields.
"What we are doing today is to help you to develop into that individual," she added.
The Minister also used the occasion to donate two goal posts to the school, which she said could be set up to play football matches on the court. However, she advised the students to wear sneakers, while playing the game and not football boots.
Outlining plans for other sporting facilities in West Portland, Minister Vaz, who is the Member of Parliament for West Portland, said that the Heart Hill Football Field in Portland, which was destroyed after it was used as a construction and equipment storage area by a local company, will be restored and upgraded. He said the company has since promised to donate some $200,000 towards the restoration of the ground.
Additionally, the Minister disclosed that other businesses will be donating material and equipment towards the project to help in the rehabilitation efforts.
Meanwhile, he said that refurbishing work is in progress at the football field in Woodstock Housing Scheme in the parish, where some preliminary work was funded by the CHASE (Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education) Fund, and the SDF.
"It is the intention for CHASE to continue to finish the community centre, which the community has put a lot of work into and through my CDF (Community Development Fund), I intend to light the multi-purpose court at Woodstock Housing Scheme, so that residents could have some activities during the evening," he said.
The Minister implored the students and teachers to continue to maintain the facilities at the school, so that future students and teachers could make use of them.
"You must play hard but you must take care of your facilities, whether it is the classroom desks, chairs or the court or the building," he said.
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