St Ann’s Grounds talks resume but

Even as discussions resume on Monday to find a compromise with the changes proposed for President’s Grounds, St Ann’s, those who use it remain adamant that their recreational space should not be touched.

In an interview at the grounds on Thursday, Hololo resident Derek Thomas, who is known in the community as “the Mayor,” said any change will “spoil the whole neighbourhood.”

Thomas said crime and violence could increase because youths may turn to “playing with guns” instead of getting involved in sports.

In a release, the St Ann’s Cascade Hololo Community Group invited the media to visit the grounds on Thursday to “witness the use of the grounds by the five teams of the Superstar Rangers as well as the Northern Rugby Club.”

The group has been mum about the meetings taking place with the team appointed by the Prime Minister but broke their silence and issued a release on Wednesday reiterating the residents’ stance that there should be no loss of green space.

Richard Fakoory, chairman of Superstar Rangers, “the pride of St Ann’s,” said the football team has been using the grounds for the past 40 years while rugby has been using it for 50 years. Hockey is no longer played on the grounds.

He said Superstar used the field to train on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays while Rugby has the space on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Due to the number of teams, the youth teams use the car park adjacent to the field to train.

Fakoory said, “We have approximately 140 members presently in the club, not counting members who want to join the club because we get calls all the time so this field always has people. How could they have come up with the conclusion that this field is not being used?”

A resident who did not want to be named pointed to the Ministry of Community Development compound on the other side of La Fantasie Road saying that Urban Development Corporation (Udecott) proposed to give the community space there.

She said, “I don’t think that is practical at all. Where else are people taking away green spaces, people are looking to create more green spaces.”

Grant Millar, vice-president of Northern Rugby Club, said the area was the only flat land in St Ann’s used by the community and clubs and taking space away could result in the demise of clubs and force groups to go to the Queen’s Park Savannah which is already crowded.

In a release on Thursday evening, Udecott said it is unable to comment on the details of the meetings with the St Ann’s Cascade Hololo Group and was “committed to work with affected parties to prevent major inconvenience and achieve a global solution for the area.”