BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - OVER the past few months, multipurpose facility at Warner Park has played host to a number of sporting and non-sporting activities. And even over the past years, the sporting facilities in the Park have doubled as entertainment venues and the home of some social programmes. So it begs the question... “Is the venue being overused?”
The Park boasts - among other things - a football facility, cricket facility and a tennis facility. And it is expected that the cricket facility will see a rush of activity during the next couple of months when 11 international cricket matches which form part of the 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL), before switching gears to host two T20 games between West Indies and Bangladesh.
The football facility - on the other hand - was recently used for the completion of the St. Kitts Nevis Football Association’s (SKNFA) Final Four play-offs, the staging of the 18th annual St. Kitts Music Festival and in a matter of weeks, will host a big concert featuring US rapper Rick Ross. Additionally, it would accommodate the 2014 Caribbean Cup Tournament in September, which will be hosted by the SKNFA.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, Senior Sports Officer in the Ministry of Sports Vernon Springer gave an overview as to how preparations are advancing for the events which are to be held at the football facility.
“After the hosting of the 18th annual St. Kitts Music Festival, the football area in Warner Park is being prepared. We also have to work really closely with the St. Kitts Nevis Football Association is hosting a tournament in September and also it will be hosting the Rick Ross concert on the same area on the August 15.
“Work is taking place behind the scenes to deal with the football grounds and get it up to some sort of shape. So even when it hosts the Rick Ross concert shortly after, it’s just a matter of getting the stage off the field for the SKNFA.”
Springer also spoke to improvements made to the outfield, which was of some concern earlier this year.
“There have been major improvements. We have been working very closely with the Kittitian Hill golf course folks. We also have been working with the St. Kitts Golf courses folks. You would realise when you go down there it looks completely different.
He cited last year’s independence concert, Carnival and the work to erect lights as the rationale for the poor state of the outfield.
This question of whether or not the Warner Park facility is being overused was posed to Minister of Sports the Hon. Glen Phillip.
“No, I don’t think that it is overused. Those are events of national importance and we try to assist in the hosting of the events. It is only carnival and music festival are hosted there other than sports.”
He was also questioned about the cost to the government in getting the facilities back up to standard after hosting non-sport activities.
“In terms of those things, we have a good relationship with Carnival and the Music Festival. As a matter of fact if there are any damages during those events, those institutions would assist in terms of the cost to repair the facility.”
Do you believe the Warner Park facility is being overused?
