Government is continuing efforts to develop sports in the eastern districts, with a basketball court in North Side already completed and two more facilities set to be constructed.
In addition to the basketball court, opposite the North Side public boat ramp, beach volleyball and pickleball courts are planned, according to Minister for Infrastructure Jay Ebanks.
“I want to see that particular area be the sports hub of North Side,” Ebanks told the Compass. “One of these days we will add a pickleball court, and we are getting ready to build a full volleyball court on the seaside with restrooms,” he said, noting the latter is expected to break ground before the end of the year.
The basketball court, already being used by the community, cost around $40,000, Ebanks said.
The new court joins other North Side venues – the Ronald Forbes football field, the Edna Moyle Primary School sporting facilities, and the Clifton Hunter High School pool, though it has not yet been used by a swim club outside of school hours.
The push to enhance sports in the eastern districts is welcomed by many in the community, including Olympians Ronald Forbes and Raegan Rutty, who both told the Compass in June that it’s a step in the right direction.
Ebanks says he hopes to further improve the facilities on offer in the eastern districts.
“Every afternoon I drive across, I’m very proud to see the youth shooting hoops and that is just the start of my vision,” he said, noting that North Side will be looking to assemble a basketball team soon for league competition.
Volleyball court coming soon
In addition, he said, construction of a beach volleyball court should take shape by December.
“The basketball court has been one project, and the volleyball court is one project,” he said. [The volleyball court] should start within the next couple of weeks and hopefully, by December, you’ll see a lot more moving around there.”
Currently Cayman’s main beach volleyball courts, which are located in Seven Mile Public Beach, do not feature lights to enable night games.
However, the proposed North Side volleyball court will have floodlights, something Ebanks believes could drive more people to his district.
“I think this will be the only available court on the island that will be lit so that we can have games at night,” he said.
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