Relief is coming for athletes and patrons alike who utilize the YASCO Sports Complex on a daily basis as government pledges to complete the structure intended to house bathroom facilities at the country’s lone track and field facility.
During Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, the Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s, Lionel ‘Max’ Hurst, said a lack of resources has stymied their efforts to complete the structure now overrun with bushes and shrubs.
“What we’re doing at YASCO is we’re taking an abandoned or not quite finished bathroom facility that was in the south-west corner of YASCO that cost us over $600,000, and we are going to plough some money into it to make it useful. We could not address these before because the resources weren’t as forthcoming as they are now but we are going to make that building work for us,” he said.
The structure, which has remained unfinished for over 15 years, was started under the previous United Progressive Party administration but had remained unfinished for another 10 under the current regime, despite many pledges in the past to have it completed. The situation has forced athletes and members of the public to find creative means of relieving themselves when at the facility.
However, Hurst said the structure should be completed by year end.
“We don’t yet have a total cost, but we know that we will spend less than one half of the amount spent on that unfinished bathroom. We’ll spend less than half of the amount that was spent in the first instance where they spent over $600,000 and it was a real shame and we intend to correct it although it’s coming a little late,” he said.
According to the Cabinet notes, a separate facility will be arranged to be utilized as changing rooms for athletes.
Hurst gave further details where those plans are concerned.
“In the southeast corner we’re going to be putting some changing rooms. Those would not necessarily be permanent; they will be the kinds of rooms athletes would find when they go to many venues for competition … so that given the limited space that is available to us at YASCO, we’ll be able to have several of these units placed in the southeast corner and they would essentially be changing rooms,” the Chief of Staff said.
In January 2022, Minister of Sports, Daryll Matthew, said that a total of $1,411,862 (one million, four hundred and 11 thousand, eight hundred and sixty-two dollars) had been budgeted for the completion of the country’s lone track & field facility. The document also revealed that some $90,000 had been allotted for the completion of the controversial bathroom structure.
