Latest update September 26th, 2026 10:20 AM
Feb 05, 2014 Sports
Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), Damian Fernandes, told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that the works currently ongoing on the Athletics Track at the National Park should be completed by March month end, weather permitting.
Fernandes stated that works on the track are in its second phase, that is grubbing and filling of the land and it is expected to be finished within another month.
He further explained that they had stock piled 7,000 cubic meters of sand and earth to facilitate raising the level of the land. He said that the third phase will comprise of resurfacing and compacting of the track.
The Commissioner informed that extreme flooding will be difficult to prevent especially when it rains heavily, but the time it takes to drain the field will be reduced considerably. “Our greatest challenge is the flooding which is caused by the lowness of the land. The water flows into the Georgetown drainage system which makes it more difficult but we are working to improve this”, he added.
Fernandes indicated that he hopes the track will be of great benefit to the athletes. “Previous conditions were not optimal for them so we are raising both the centre of the field and the track so that it can be accessible to the public as well”, he said.
He stated that they will also look at the other sporting facilities in the park but have to take it step by step adding that they would appreciate the support of the public in donating materials, preferably earth and sand.
“It is very difficult for us to do it alone so we want to partner with the respective associations that use the fields to upgrade the facilities”, said Fernandes.
He explained that the athletics track will compliment the one at Leonora. “A lot of Georgetown based clubs and schools depend on it which gives the athletes an option to train in the city”, he stated.
“The track is the lowest area of the park and we also took into consideration the future of the sport and those are the main reasons we decided to commence work there instead of the other areas”, he informed.
The project falls under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Three Parks Initiative which also includes improvement of the Botanical Gardens and Zoological Park.
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