BASEBALL Guyana is building the largest multi-sport complex in the history of the English-speaking Caribbean.

The governing body for the great game of baseball was granted a lease for 25 acres of land on the Ogle estate by the Government of Guyana to facilitate the development of this three-phase project.

Phase one includes two lighted baseball fields, a high school, soccer field and a four-acre indoor multi-sport facility; all of these will be powered by a 1.3 MW rooftop solar generation and storage system.
President of Baseball Guyana, Robin Singh, stated, “We shared our vision for sport as an engine of development and change with various ministers of the current administration, and it was met with encouragement and approval in all of the related areas: Business, Sport, Culture, Youth, Cohesion, Tourism and the policy of moving to a Green economy. Support from the government and endorsement of the project by the Guyana Office for Investment led to our being granted a lease by Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Trevor Benn, who saw where our complex would serve present and future communities and easy access by largely populated areas.”

Asked to elaborate on the vision that led to this first phase of the sport complex which is expected to be over 100 acres upon completion of the third phase, Singh said “Imagine a massive complex of sport fields and facilities to be used by all of the sporting bodies, for elite athletes training 24-7, and open to the public as a safe lighted area to walk, run and interact with each other daily; indoor areas dedicated to soccer, hockey, karate, judo, lawn and table tennis; even a homework area where volunteer teachers can assist children, all with free internet access. And this is just phase one.”
“But the most important thing is that we can now show players a pathway to success in baseball. Previously, we ran pilot projects on school and cricket fields with some success, but we could not honestly say to parents and players that they could achieve anything more than recreational levels of play.

“Now we can assure our players and their parents of a higher quality of training and playing facility in the near future,” said Singh.
According to him, his association will begin tryouts for the various age groups in January 2018, with the intention of competing at the PONY Caribbean Championships, with the assurance of a pathway to international competition, college and professional careers.
The project is now in the design phase with local architect Annabelle Carter-Sharma leading the design team.

Newly appointed General Secretary of Baseball Guyana, Devon Douglas, said, “The baseball community in Guyana is excited at the prospect of our first field, and for it to be the crown jewel of this multi-sport park just adds to the value our sport brings. Baseball engenders a change in the way we think and act. We cannot wait to share our sport and culture of unity with the wider public in Guyana.”

Local contracting firm Bassoo Global is expected to begin mobilisation mid-2018 for construction of the first phase of the complex.
Baseball Guyana expects to make major partnership announcements during the course of the planning phase.