PARTNERSHIP
Sport Facilities Get Major Upgrade
A major makeover of two key sporting facilities lies in store for Cave Hill’s Blackbirds as the campus rolls out renovations at the Ryan Brathwaite Track and the 3Ws Oval undergoes a substantial upgrade, thanks to significant funding. Dr. Rudolph Alleyne , Head of Department at the Faculty of Sport said the track upgrades have been on the cards since February 2023. However, hiccups delayed the start of work until last December. “Careful monitoring of the track revealed extensive wear and tear to the extent we had to patch quite a bit of it,” Alleyne stated. “The decision was made that once the 2023 track and field season was over, we would commence the repair work. However, that process is still underway as the extent of the work includes the total removal and replacing of the top layer of the track with new rubber granules.”
The ongoing renovations at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex aim to extend the lifespan of the track by 10 to 20 years to facilitate future zonal and national sports events. Simultaneously, the 3Ws Oval is in line for major improvements as part of a $50 million loan secured by Barbados from the African Import-Export Bank in 2023. This money not only helps to fix up the famous Kensington Oval but also provides funds for boosting the facilities of the 3Ws Oval and other cricket grounds to be used for practice matches during this year’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. As part of the upgrade, the campus is benefitting from a collaboration with Melbourne Polytechnic of Australia that is seeking to make cricket pitches and turf management in the region better. Australians Mark Burchell and Stephen Connolly visited Cave Hill in February to assess the grounds.
Dr. Kevin Grant , Operations Manager at the Faculty of Sport, along with members of the ground staff at Cave Hill, accompanied the visitors on the tour that included turf inspections. The ongoing rehabilitative work on the 3Ws pitch, in preparation for the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup in June, was a focal point. Lauding the reconnaissance mission by the Australian pair as a significant step, Deputy Dean of International Partnerships and Business Development at the Faculty of Sport Amanda Reifer foresees the Australian collaboration producing outstanding results. “It is going to revolutionise the sporting industry ... [and] provide jobs [and] opportunities for people to get qualified in the area and effect change in terms of the developmental component of ensuring that our athletes get the best turfs for their own development,” she said. u
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