Hardial Park gets $1.8M pavilion
After decades as a grazing ground for animals, the Hardial Park on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, South St Augustine has been reclaimed by its citizens. It now boasts a spanking new $1.8 million pavilion.
The pavilion, which was completed over a month ahead of its 16-week period for completion, was officially declared open on Sunday by outgoing Minister of Local Government, Dr Suruj Rambachan.
Also present on the occasion were MP for the area and Minister of Legal Affairs, Prakash Ramadhar, and Chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, Khadijah Ameen, who both noted that the goats have now been locked out by a new fence around the perimeter of the ground.
The ground also has lighting features for night activity.
The 200-seater pavilion was built at a cost of $1.8 million by Total Field Execution Services, with a total saving of $11,000. The project began on June 14 and was completed on August 30, weeks ahead of the projected completion date of October 4. In his address to the gathering which included members of the Spartan Cricket Club who use the ground as their home base, Rambachan said it was good to see young children being involved in the activities of the club.
“If we as a nation, we as leaders in the communities do no take hold of the young impressionable minds and instill positive values in them somebody else will,” he said.
In the field of sport, he said that the young people were not just being trained as cricketers, but they were developing good character and being instilled with positive values.
The Hardial Park Pavilion is one of 32 projects being built under the Ministry of Local Government this fiscal year. Another 32 pavilions, Rambachan said, were being built under the Ministry of Sport.