A Ground Breaking Ceremony was held at the St. John's Field, with the Minister of Public Works Lt/Col David Burch thanking both Gorham’s and Western Stars for their support of the initiative, which will result in upgrades to the field and club operations and Gorham’s having access to an unused strip of Government-owned land for a new roadway.
Burch said, “Western Stars have occupied this site since the early 1970s and have faced several challenges during that time. For many years St. Johns Field has been plagued with uneven grounds leading to frequent flooding.
“The clubhouse, also erected in the 1970s is in dire need of refurbishment to assist the club in catering to its ever-expanding community programmes.
“It was an easy decision for me to make when Gorham’s first wrote in December 2018 to propose an arrangement that would benefit both their business and Western Stars.
“Gorham’s want access to an unused, densely overgrown strip of Government-owned land to the west of their property for a new roadway to connect the front and back areas of the property. In exchange for which they would provide significant support and upgrades to the field and club operations.
“So much work has occurred since that first announcement here on October 30th, 2019 and so we are here today to conduct the ceremonial groundbreaking.’
Premier David Burt’s said, “The public will know that this Government is committed to strengthening our community clubs island-wide, as they play a vital role in our social fabric, and provide critical services to our communities. We have done this most recently through the awarding of grants to support capital development upgrades and to support youth programs within local clubs.
The programs and initiatives community and sporting organizations create for young people, seniors and others help our communities to thrive.
As a club member and local MP, I am proud and excited to celebrate this occasion and this important, mutually beneficial, partnership between neighbors. I also look forward to seeing the benefits that Western Stars Sports Club and the community will reap from these upgrades and the invaluable support being given.
Well done to everyone involved.
The field is long overdue for resurfacing … we all are looking forward to seeing the finished product, which will go a long way to making this a first-class facility.
I want to thank the Minister of Public Works, Lt. Col. David Burch and his team at the Ministry, thank you to the Western Stars Sports Club’s management and staff, and thank you to the owners and management of Gorham’s Limited. This is a partnership and a project that will enhance this community.
Finally, I want to assure local residents that all plans going forward will be done in consultation with them, the club, and the Government so that residents can present their feedback and voice any concerns.
We are focused on making our communities stronger, and we will accomplish this goal together.
