Multi-million dollar upgrade for Orchard Sports Complex

The Orchard Sports Complex in Hopewell, Hanover, which is arguably the most used sporting facility in the parish, is poised for a multimillion-dollar refurbishing, which is aimed at making it more user-friendly for the 20,000 residents in Hopewell, as well as residents in adjoining communities.

The upgrade is to be sponsored by the Hanover Charities and the Tryall Fund. The Hopewell-based Jaycees International (JCI) will oversee the work.

Katrin Casserly, chairman of Hanover Charities, said the work on the complex will be undertaken in phases. The first phase will entail giving the spectator stands a facelift in terms of painting, resurfacing the netball court, renovating the basketball court and cleaning up the complex.

"The work that is to be carried out on the facility will be over a two-year period and includes the reconstruction of the community centre into a modern facility offering indoor games, a computer room, office space and a gym," said Casserly.

"We will also be doing some improvements to the playing field .... we will be doing some landscaping and perimeter fencing will be installed," added Casserly.

Casserly further stated that fundraising activities have already started to generate funding for the Orchard Sports Complex. She said the projects will be one of the projects that will benefit from funds raised from this year's Sugar Cane Ball, which was recently held at the Round Hill Hotel and Villas.

Shane Reid, president of JCI Hopewell, is quite enthusiastic about the project and the fact that his organisation has been chosen to oversee the implementation of the work. He promised that the work will be done with full transparency and indicated that the community and sponsors will be kept fully informed during all the stages.

The reopening of the sports complex is planned for early 2018. It is hoped that the facility will help to ease the struggles of the Hanover Football Association, which is now finding it difficult to find suitable venues to stage its competitions.

The Orchard Sports Complex is one of only two venues capable of hosting top-flight matches in the Hanover domestic leagues. The other facility is the Watson Taylor Park in Lucea.