$20M modern recreational facility for Grove/Diamond

A $20M modern recreational facility at Section A Block Y, Golden Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) will be built this year and will include a track for athletes, football/cricket ground, as well as swings, sea-saw and slides.

The investment is being made primarily for te youths in the community and the facility would be fenced and solar lights installed for security purposes. The Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry will be executing the project in collaboration with the Housing and Water Ministry’s, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). Ministers Charles Ramson and Collin Croal, held a consultation with residents of the Grove/Diamond area on the project on Tuesday. It was noted that this forms part of the government’s plan to provide safe spaces for citizens to engage in sports and other social activities.

Ramson disclosed that the initiative marks the first collaboration with the two agencies. He said that the facility will be used as a model for other safe spaces in areas and housing schemes across the country. Ramson explained that the focus, very early, was to target the development of those community grounds in highly populated areas, where there was an obvious need for recreational spaces for residents, particularly young people.

“Given the number of residents in the housing schemes and how rapidly they are developing, this became an obvious choice for us to start targeting now where we can get the kind of development that we need,” Minister Ramson said.  The culture, youth and sport minister disclosed that such initiatives also capture the ‘One Guyana’ concept envisioned by President Irfaan Ali.

Croal noted the rapid pace at which the East Bank corridor is developing. This, he said, is seen with the construction of the four-lane highway which paved the way for the development of new and expanded housing schemes, that will see thousands of citizens having access to house lots. However, he disclosed that part of government’s plan to create wholesome communities is to ensure persons have access to recreational spaces, and as such, the CH&PA is undertaking a number of such projects in housing schemes under its purview.

The housing and water minister disclosed that CHPA recently handed over a new community ground to the residents of Block BB Eccles. He said that similar interventions are being made at Perseverance, Prospect and Herstelling Second and Fourth Bridge. Croal noted that the $52M Sophia multipurpose recreational facility is almost completed. “This helps to keep the communities closely knitted. It allows you to have that space to come home and engage in your recreational and social activities… it also allows for more family time and enhances our wellbeing,” Croal stressed.

He added that the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.