ROAD TOWN, Tortola, British Virgin Islands - According to confirmation reaching VINO from both the Public Works Department and the Virgin Islands Horse Owners’ Association, work started a few weeks ago to remove and replace rotten plywood on the stables in the roof area, the bracing of the stable roof structure where the old woods could have no longer sustained the structure and placement of new woods on the stable.
The name of the contractor and the full cost of the project are unknown.
However, VINO understands that this is phase one of the stable project, as more works are expected to be undertaken.
Last year, Third District Representative Honourable Fraser who represents the Sea Cows Bay area, the district where the racetrack is located, met with the VI Horse Owners’ Association under the then former President Violet ‘Letty’ Hodge where they made forceful representation about the conditions of the racetrack and the urgent need for immediate repairs to the running surface and the stables.
Minister Fraser assured them last year that the O’Neal Administration will do whatever was necessary to improve the government-owned Ellis Thomas Downs.
Last year’s works included repairing the running surface which was destroyed by Hurricane Earl, replacement of the guard rails and constructing of judges look-out stands among other things.
Derrick ‘Aruba’ Marshall, the President of the Association told VINO in another exclusive interview that, “all horse owners and the Association welcomed the much needed works done by government as it’s vital that the facility be well maintained which will go a far way to up-hold international standards.”
President Marshall and his team, who have done a lot to generate interest in the sport within his short tenure at the helm, assured VINO that the Association will keep reaching out to Government about the “urgent infrastructural needs of the racetrack”.
The next race day at Ellis Thomas Downs is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, June 12, 2011.
Article taken from Virgin Islands News Online - http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com
British Virgin Islands News