The eventual construction of Guyana’s first football stadium located at the D’urban Park area, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, entered its first official phase yesterday.
The area, which is currently being developed by McGregor’s Real Estate Development Inc., and is 7.3 acres in size, is expected to host a 12-14 thousand capacity facility, as well as have mini pitches for community and grassroots initiatives. It is also expected to host some of the administrative aspects of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) secretariat.
Project Director for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), Howard McIntosh, visited the area yesterday along with members of the federation to inspect the work that has commenced at the site.
The first phase, which is expected to cost between G$18-$25 million and is fully funded by CONCACAF through its One Development Fund, entails the levelling of the surface, the removal of debris as well as sand filling and compression of half the venue to 12 inches.
Goals will be mounted on the surface to allow the staging of community football whilst other engineering works continue. In particular, the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) will be allowed to utilize the facility to stage several of their youth tournaments.
GFF President Wayne Forde said, “We know once we put eight pairs of nets out here what will happen…we want to see young talents, boys and girls doing what they love to do best, which is to play football.”
According to Forde, while no figure is currently attached to the overall cost of the project, engagements with other partners will be sought to secure the funds to complete the facility and that a partnership with an international firm will soon be secured for the engineering and design aspects of the project.
He explained, “It would be a watershed moment for the sport and we can only imagine the level of development that we will be able to drive if we control a Technical Centre and a National Stadium where we can have programmes run 24/7, 365 days a year.”
Forde added that the venue will eventually serve as the home of the professional league which the GFF is genuinely pursuing, noting that the Elite League which has not played in four years due to numerous reasons, is scheduled to commence in May.
McInstosh praised the GFF for the progress that has occurred in Guyana, noting that the country has moved from previous years of turmoil to significant football development.
Asked if funding for similar projects especially in the hinterland areas will eventually be provided, McIntosh said “Yes, we want to do more but we will take it slow and steady.”
