Aquatic athletes to benefit from Laventille Pool

JELANI BECKLES

MINISTER of Sport and Youth Affairs Darryl Smith said the Laventille Community Swimming Pool Facility will not only produce the next top TT swimmer, but all aquatic athletes would be able to utilise the facility in the future.

The Laventille Community Swimming Pool is one of the latest facilities to help advance aquatics in TT, following the opening of the new world class National Aquatic Centre in Couva in 2016.

Laventille, an area which has produced a number of national footballers and cultural icons, may soon have top aquatic athletes to emulate

Through the work of the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and UDECOTT, the swimming facility is scheduled to open in August. At the official sod-turning ceremony yesterday, Smith said TT can boast of many national swimmers.

“Trinidad and Tobago has a very rich history in swimming. We have George Bovell, we have young Dylan Carter who is from my constituency. We have Shanntol Ince – the paralympian who does quite well,” Smith said.

The facility will not only be used for swimming, as Smith said plans are in place to make it a home for all aquatic sports, “Here, at this facility, we not only want to teach swimming, but I think with the skill of football and scoring goals I think we will get a number of water polo athletes, both male and female out of here. And eventually in phase two, we will probably put a diving board or two that we could put some divers. It is not called swimming any more, it is called aquatics...so it’s a world of opportunities for you all.” Minister of Housing and Urban Development Randall Mitchell said the pool would help bring the community together.

Mitchell said, “A community pool such as this would develop the community around the discipline of sport, and as well develop the social aspect of the community where members of the community (such as) Laventille, all of East Port of Spain, can come together and spend time together.”

Mayor of Port of Spain Joel Martinez also agrees that the facility will encourage positivity within the community. “I am of the firm belief that sports and sporting activities are agents of change. As I have witnessed on several occasions of sport based activities can be used as a unique tool that is transferred through our sporting coaches. Teachers and others working with persons in sports settings will almost always target valuable life skills.” Martinez said people involved in sporting activities will resist social pressures, cope with anxiety and communicate effectively.