Panam Sports pledges to supply world-class pool to BVI

Panam Sports and World Aquatics has pledged to supply the BVI with a 25-metre, world-class swimming pool to be installed and managed by the H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC).

The pool is valued at around $400,000 and the Virgin Islands Recovery & Development Agency (RDA) has been invited to oversee and manage the preparations and construction of the aquatic centre within which the pool will be built.

According to the HLSCC, the next step in the process is to develop a proposal to get funding for the civil works and ancillary elements to construct the aquatic centre. HLSCC President Dr Richard Georges said such elements include changing facilities, a gym and therapy area, stands, storage rooms, etcetera.”

Dr Georges said the college has already identified potential financiers for the project.

The pool, in the meantime, will be used to support a learn-to-swim programme locally while also serving the training needs of locally-based persons interested in competitive swimming. The pool will also allow swimmers to compete in official, internationally recognised distances.

Survival skills lessons

A media release from the BVIOC issued on Wednesday said other plans for the swimming pool include using it to teach basic survival skills through progressive swimming lessons offered at all levels.