BASSETERRE — The Ministry of Sports says sports clubs, schools and other organizations remain welcome to use the Kim Collins Athletics Stadium for training and track and field events, but must first apply through the Department of Sports after tightening oversight of the recently renovated facility.
Director of Sports Jeffrey Hazel said applicants should identify the facility they wish to use, the type of activity they plan to host, and their preferred date and time. He said requests are reviewed promptly and approvals are often granted.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Valencia Syder said the application process was introduced to prevent unauthorized access and to protect the significant public investment made in the stadium.
“What we discovered was that it was being misused and mismanaged,” Syder said. “We discovered some along the line, different persons were able to get keys cut for Kim Collins. So sometimes we weren’t even aware who was using Kim Collins.”
Syder said the ministry has since changed all the locks and repaired gates that were not functional. “Recently we made a decision. We had some issues. Some of the gates weren’t functional. So now all the gates are functional. We changed all of the locks,” she said.
Syder stressed that residents are still welcome to use the stadium, but said proper oversight is necessary to ensure the facility is managed responsibly going forward.