A. O. Shirley Recreation Ground Repairs

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A. O. SHIRLEY RECREATION GROUND REPAIRS

STATUS: ONGOING

Ministry Partner: Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports

Project Number: 152

Project Start Date: October 2018

Project End Date: TBC

Duration: TBC

Funding Source: BVI Government, BVI Olympic Committee, PanAm Sports, BVI Athletics Association

BACKGROUND

Located in the heart of Road Town, the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground is the most heavily used sports facility in the Virgin Islands. It serves as a central hub for track and field, football, and other sporting disciplines, and is used year-round by schools, national teams, sports clubs, and the wider community.

Severely damaged during the 2017 storms, the grounds became unfit for training and unable to host national or international competitions. The destruction of key infrastructure—including the lighting system, bathrooms, pavilion, grandstand, and perimeter wall—left the facility below international standards.

Given its wide-reaching impact on community wellness, youth development, and the Territory’s ability to compete and host events on the world stage, the restoration of the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground has been identified as a high-priority project with significant national importance.

Activity

A new lighting system will bring the facility in line with IAAF Class 2 accreditation. This new system will ensure full coverage of the track and grounds, with programmable controls for flexible use and energy efficiency.
Once the lighting is completed, it will join the below list of activities that have successfully been executed:
New external perimeter wall built from recycled plastic panels
New rubberized resurfaced track which was certified by IAAF now known as World Athletics
Internal trackside fencing Renovated grandstand
New bathroom facilities

Result

The A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground is nearing full restoration. Once complete, over 30,000 residents will benefit from a national facility that supports international events, meets world-class standards, and serves as a hub for athlete training, school sports, and community pride.

Budget

To be released once all the planning for the project has been finalized.
The following funds were received for this project: $150,000 BVI Olympic Committee (with support from PanAm Sports), $30,000 initial instalment from BVI Athletics Association.