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 MARCH 18, 2021

Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 18, 2021 (SKNIS): Phase 1 of the refurbishment of the Garden’s Playing Field in McKnight is now complete.

A brief ceremony was held on Wednesday (March 17, 2021) at the facility where members of the Garden Hotspurs Football Club joined with officials from the Ministry and the Department of Sports, to mark the occasion and inspect the upgrades.

Contractor Auckland Maynard of Special Touch Welding carried out the work, which included replacing the roof, refurbishing gates, installing new windows, and other construction tasks, and painting the facility.

LED lights were also installed as part of the upgrade project.

Construction began in late December 2021 and was completed on time and within the approximate $250,000 budget.

Hollis Prentice, Public Relations Officer of the Garden Hotspurs Football Club, noted that the executive committee, staff, and players are happy with the renovation work, which has transformed the look and feel of the sporting venue.

He added that the enhanced ambience is expected to positively impact the preparation and on-field performance of the football team.

“I assure you that we will be the watchmen of the football stadium,” he stated, pledging the commitment of the football club to protect the venue.

Minister of Sport, the Honourable Jonel Powell, indicated that the end of this phase was a proud moment for him as he was raised in McKnight.

He said that additional work will be performed in the coming months and years. This will include refurbishment of the interior of the pavilion where locker rooms, meeting rooms, and bathrooms are located; upgrading the tennis courts; repairing the fencing, and resurfacing the basketball and netball courts.

“We want down here to be a premier sporting facility in the country,” Honourable Powell stated. “I look forward to being able to boast that down here is one of the venues to host not just premiership football matches but other sporting matches whether it be tennis, football, or netball.”   

The Minister of Sport said the government has invested significant funds to upgrade the facility. He called on the community to join with the football club in taking ownership of the venue and to ensure that it is not vandalized.