The Diamond Athletics Track and Football Facility will be officially named in honour of the late Sir Vincent Beache – former Minister of Government in the administrations of the St. Vincent Labour Party and its successor the Unity Labour Party.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves made the disclosure during an address at the opening and trial run of the Facility last Wednesday, November 4, 2020. He alluded to an unveiling ceremony to come, to make the designation/naming official.
The Facility, located in Diamond some eight miles north east of capital city Kingstown, features, in the main, a 400m synthetic track and a regulation size football field.
It currently provides for 1,800 spectators but extended work will see that capacity increase to 5,000.
A warm-up track is also expected to be constructed in the second phase.
Last Wednesday’s opening ceremony also heard addresses from Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves, MP for South Windward Frederick Stephenson, and Minister of Sport Cecil Mc Kie.
Dyke Cato, national cricketer, former teacher and currently a Sport Officer who has responsibility for overview of the project, used the occasion of his address to call for a Sports Ambassadorship for Woodrow ‘Killy’ Williams.
Williams, a retired Sports Officer, continues to serve with distinction as a track and field technical consultant at home and abroad, and more recently availed his technical expertise especially in the laying of the synthetic track at the Diamond facility.
A sum of EC$6 million was given as the expenditure on the facility to date.
Other facilities for Diamond
Last Wednesday opening of the Diamond Athletics Track and Football Facility was but one of the projects included in a Government-hosted Diamond projects showcase, at the Diamond Industrial Estate,
Among the other projects highlighted were the construction of the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, a Community Centre, bridges and a Maritime Training Institute which will include courses in Firefighting techniques.
Invest SVG is expected to play a pivotal role in the unfolding of the development plan for Diamond.