St. PETERS – The venue for the proposed Market in the Park project is opposite the current Sports Auditorium on the Pondfill. The aforementioned would serve as an Executive Business Center for various types of local businesses.
“I will be proposing to the Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers to also include space for a multi-purpose Sports Facility. During the Parliament Committee meeting back in May, with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), it was stated that the NBA could contribute towards sports development in the country, and this multi-purpose facility would be something that they could be involved in,” Member of Parliament Maurice Lake said.
“Our end goal is to provide a modern facility with all the amenities for our sports loving youth. No time to play politics with this. It is for the young people of this nation where they can play basketball, volleyball, table tennis, etc. Shows and competitions can also be held in such a facility,” Lake continued.
“I would like the Minister of VROMI to seriously look at this proposal that I will be sending to his Cabinet. We need to designate an area. The former Marcel Cabinet gave away the land for the Market in the Park for one guilder to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in November 2015. I am recommending to the Minister of VROMI to meet with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and to come to some kind of arrangement where our young people benefit from a new facility,” he said.
“We have to start thinking as a Country and putting projects in place for the general interest of the community. Since the Market in the Park project was about 10,000 square meters to build an Economic Executive Center for the business community, why not earmark a section to build a multi-purpose Sports Facility to be financed by the NBA and Government.”
“My idea would be to let the NBA build a multi-purpose Sports Facility across from the present Sports Auditorium, and build a parking garage where the Sports Auditorium is currently located to provide parking to the John Larmonie Center expansion plan for dance/art classes and our senior citizens, and extra parking for the remainder of the Market in the Park project. There is enough space to accommodate everyone in this area.”
“We have representatives from the NBA visiting soon and we should have an area already identified for a multi-purpose facility which I am proposing,” Lake concluded.
