Neglected facilities leave sports teams in the dark

Cayman’s ageing sports facilities are in need of significant upgrades with clubs forced to train in semi-darkness on half-lit pitches in West Bay and George Town.

Key football fixtures have had to be moved to afternoons – the hottest time of the day – because floodlights have not been repaired at the George Town Annex. There are also lighting issues at Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay and at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in the capital.

Additional problems, including bleachers that were damaged by Tropical Storm Grace six months ago, have been highlighted by sports associations that use the stadiums.

Wider concerns have also been voiced about the inability of working people to use these facilities – which typically host everything from soccer and hockey to flag football and ultimate frisbee  – in the evenings.

Government has acknowledged major infrastructure improvements are needed and urged sports coaches to be patient as it seeks to address long-term issues. 

Kurt Hyde, who took over as director of sports in January 2021, said it had proved almost impossible to find replacement parts for damaged floodlights at the three stadiums in George Town and West Bay. 

The outdated metal halide light systems will need to be replaced by modern energy-efficient LED lighting – a major infrastructure project.

Hyde hopes new floodlights will be in place by July. He added that the department was looking at short-term solutions in the interim.

“The department fully understands the impacts some of the limitations the facilities currently have on the community and sporting associations and teams,” he said in response to questions from the Compass on the issue. 

“We appreciate their patience and I can assure them that we are working diligently to not just repair but improve our facilities with a vision encompassing, safety, modern technology and efficiency.”

The lack of appropriate lighting at three key venues is the main issue among a list of concerns from sporting organisations about the standard and upkeep of the stadiums.

Football season impacted

Alfredo Whittaker, president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, said, “It is a major problem. I get a large number of complaints from coaches and players about this situation.”

As the most popular sport in Cayman, with more than 2,300 registered players, football has been the most severely impacted.

Planning more than 40 games a week across four senior men’s and women’s leagues and multiple youth leagues without the ability to schedule evening games in George Town is proving a serious challenge. 

Games are being switched to mid-week and mid-afternoon on weekends. CIFA has had to hire the Camana Bay Sports Complex field to host fixtures.

He said the biggest issues were at the Annex and Ed Bush stadiums, but Truman Bodden is also impacted.

“It is not only the lights,” he said, “We haven’t taken care of these government facilities. There are issues with the bleachers and the dressing rooms need a touch-up.”

He said the situation limited Cayman’s ability to host international fixtures. 

Beyond that, Whittaker warns, growing interest in a wide range of sports, including football, flag football, hockey, ultimate frisbee and other healthy outdoor activities, is being hampered by the inability of people to use the pitches in the evenings.

Gareth Thacker, a former PE teacher, coach of Sunset FC and an advocate for sports participation, said he was frustrated at the lack of communication on the issue and would like a timeline on when the stadiums will be repaired. He said the lighting at the Annex and Ed Bush had been particularly bad since the storm last August.

During a recent game, he counted 14 out of 60 lights working at the West Bay stadium.

Physical and mental health concerns

While the issue has seriously affected training sessions, matches and availability of players for senior football fixtures, Thacker says the greater concern is that poor lighting, in particular, is preventing the stadiums from being used as a safe environment in the evenings when working people would have the time to exercise and play competitive sport. 

“Maintaining and repairing the national stadiums in a timely manner to a high level so people can just enjoy them should be the main priority,” he said.

It’s a mental health issue, too, says Thacker, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19.

“Exercising outside, chasing a football or a frisbee around is so important for people’s physical and mental wellbeing,” he added.

Garth Anderson, a former national football team player and a coach with George Town SC, said sessions were regularly held in semi-darkness at the Annex. The situation is slightly better when there is a netball game on the neighbouring court and the glow from those lights illuminates parts of the field.

Ernie ‘Gillie’ Seymour, coach of Cayman Athletic, said the movement of fixtures from evening slots meant a lot of players were denied the chance to play. More teams are having to travel to East End or Bodden Town where the facilities are in better shape.

It’s not just football that is affected.

Field hockey players train at the Annex on Monday evenings and the poor lighting is a challenge, particularly at this time of year, when the evenings are shorter.

“We’re having a really tough time with the lights, perhaps even more so than the footie guys,” said Simon Barwick of the Cayman Islands Hockey Federation.

He said some areas of the pitch were barely lit and there were fears for the safety of players.

“The reason is that with hockey sticks flying, and fast balls that can travel at around 100mph, low light level can be a danger to life.”

Major upgrades planned

Hyde said he understood the concerns of the various groups and associations and insisted the department was aware of the issues and seeking to deal with them.

He said the lights at fields in Bodden Town and East End had recently been upgraded, easing the reliance on Ed Bush and the Annex.

Running repairs have also taken place to deal with health and safety risks at various stadiums, he added. But he cautioned that the three stadiums in George Town and West Bay were around 30 years old and needed constant maintenance.

He said major upgrades, including new floodlighting, are planned in the near future. 

“From my analysis, I would not say that the facilities were previously neglected,” Hyde added.

“However, the facilities will now benefit from a strategic management approach which includes technologically advanced and energy efficient facilities that enhance the sporting experience for our community.”