Needed: A Sports Facilities’ policy

Susan Stinson nee Barnard emerged as one of this country’s leading tennis players along with the likes of Stuart Nanton. Michael Nanton came later.
Netball had started on the sport that now hosts Cable and Wireless in Kingstown before the New Montrose facility was made available to the sport.
Table Tennis began in earnest when the Ballantynes in Frenches gave the country its first Table Tennis Board. The Ballantynes also had a gym at home and the house soon became so popular that in our sporting history we may wish to consider it a sports facility.
Squash benefited from private courts at the Cecil Cyrus place at Prospect, the Mc Intosh Place in Prospect and the Grand View Hotel facility. This, before a coming together of interests, initiated by Cecil Cyrus, led to the construction of the Cecil Cyrus Squash Complex, now the National Squash Centre located in Paul’s Avenue.
A number of playing fields around the country allowed football to be played. Victoria Park emerged as football’s virtual home after a rather intense battle with the cricketers. Sion Hill was also relatively good being easily the single largest playing arena available.
The foregoing is but a brief historical reflection on the facilities for some sports.

Today’s reality
Today St Vincent and the Grenadines can boast the existence of the tennis court at The Triangle which preceded the development of the National Tennis Centre at Calliaqua – a gift from the Taiwanese.
As has happened in the past the National Tennis Centre developed out of a deep desire for the sport’s governing body here to host regional and international tournaments. It has since hosted several ITF Junior competitions and once hosted the PNB Paribas Davis Cup’s Americas Zone Group 4.
The National Tennis Centre was dubbed the finest in the region by the ITF’s Regional Development Officer following its construction.