Sports ministry, SporTT hand over refurbished Todd's Road Recreation Ground

THE Ministry of Sport and Community Development and Sport Company of TT officially handed over the refurbished Todd’s Road Recreation Ground to the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation and its community members on Saturday.

The facility was part of a suite of community grounds which SporTT was mandated to provide oversight and project management on upgrades and refurbishment.

It is one of the latest facilities to be handed over and is an important one for the community which is heavily utilised for sport and recreation.

“The works conducted included the construction of this new pavilion in front of us here, and all its amenities, which includes player change rooms, male and female washrooms, with access for the differently abled, a conference room, meeting space and set seating for more than 100 community members,” said Leon Le Gendre, SporTT head of project execution.

It also includes a multi-purpose basketball court and new cricket nets.

The project started in 2020 under former MP for La Horquetta/ Talparo Maxie Cuffie but was stopped because of the pandemic.

Four years later, the area’s new MP Foster Cummings was pleased to join with Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis in the handing over of the facility to to the corporation and community.

Cudjoe-Lewis urged community members to make full use of the sporting facility and hailed the handing over as “momentous.”

“This project symbolises partnership, progress and togetherness. Highlighting the incredible results we can get when we truly partner and work together. It’s not only about winning medals but about truly maximising the full potential of sport to provide opportunities for our citizens personally, professionally and bringing our community together,” she said.

Cudjoe-Lewis listed a host of recently concluded refurbishment works done on several sporting facilities across Trinidad such as Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo and the Diego Martin, Mahaica (Point Fortin ) and Moruga sporting complexes.

She also recognised work done at Bourg Mulatresse, Santa Cruz, Marac and Grand Riviere.

These works, she added, were done to not only generate athletes and programmes within the community, and by extension TT on the international stage, but to also unite its residents in sport and outdoor activity.

Cudjoe-Lewis also encouraged community members to unite their talents and build clubs and sporting programmes to keep residents active.

“Develop sporting programmes but you have to truly utilise coaches, managers and administrators, sport enthusiasts in your community to build programmes to truly engage your youth hand young people towards developing your community from strength to strength.”

She added that last year only, her ministry distributed at least $70m into the hands of national sporting bodies, community groups and individuals.

“And for the first part of this year, we’ve already distributed $14.5m to community groups, NGBs and athletes. The ball is in your court make sure it’s a place of activity and action,” she said.