Virgin Gorda to Receive Olympic Swimming Pool
By Suelika N. Buchanan
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Virgin Gorda Swimming Pool nears completion
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(Virgin Gorda; BVI): Virgin Gorda will receive the British Virgin Island’s first Olympic swimming pool on the grounds of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre sometime soon.
According to a release from the Virgin Gorda Charitable Company (VGCC) Ltd, the final casting of the side walls was completed on Tuesday, January 22.
The VGCC is a charitable company whose purpose is to use donations from expatriate homeowners, business hoteliers etc. to fund programs and facilities for the young people of Virgin Gorda.
Last April 2007, the then Chief Minister Hon. D Orlando Smith, OBE, officially broke ground on the 25-meter swimming pool which was the first endeavor of the VGCC.
A statement from the company said: “This phase brings us 20 percent to completion of the pool. Our focus will now shift to the building that will accommodate the rest rooms/changing rooms, first aid and administrative office.”
~~Adz:Right~~ “We are on schedule for opening this summer and we continue to receive interest for various activities at the pool including a swim meet. Our most recent one came from the Cayman Islands Stingray Swim Club that runs the swim program at their 25-meter pool in Grand Cayman. It was built by The Lions Club and donated to the Government of the Cayman Islands,” the release added.
The pool will measure 25 meters in length with nine lanes with a depth of 8’6”. Adjacent to the primary pool, there will be a smaller pool designed for handicap access and instruction for younger children. The facility will also have locker rooms, a grand stand and a state of the art timing system and scoreboard.
The initiative is also set to create an avenue that will keep youth interested in sports and potentially receive professional opportunities as well as scholarships to attend colleges abroad.
Verne Wheatley, Government Agent for Virgin Gorda, and a founder of VGCC said that the project and others to follow will enhance the lives of young people, while getting everyone involved in supporting the community.
The company has also received an offer by a local dive company to teach scuba diving free to kids of Virgin Gorda as part of the pool activities program.
VGCC is committed and looking forward to the new facility on Virgin Gorda.
The goal of the VGCC is to raise $500,000 annually to support youth programs for Virgin Gorda.
British Virgin Islands News