St. George’s, March 20, 2011 – Residents of Tanteen, the Carenage and surrounding villages, have expressed satisfaction with the results of the first community-based effort to return Old Trafford Playing Field to complete sporting and recreational activities.

Last Sunday, a team of volunteers – with support from a small group from the St. George South-East constituency – collected and disposed of debris at Old Trafford and cut overgrown bush.

MP for the Town of St. George, Peter David, who participated in the exercise, summed up the feelings of the volunteers. He said, “I am happy with the work that was done here today.’’

Mr. David added that Sunday’s clean-up at Old Trafford in Tanteen was “just the start of a major facelift that will occur over the next few months. Work is also to begin shortly on the nearby Roy St. John Recreation Ground, as part of a Venezuelan Government-funded initiative that also includes rehabilitation of the St. George’s Market Square and enhancement of playing fields in various parts of the country.’’

Members of the Carenage Organisation for Recreation and Entertainment are planning to utilise Old Trafford for a day of sporting activities on Easter Monday, April 25.

The medium and long-term goal is to seek private sector support for Old Trafford to install amenities such as more spectator-seating areas and washroom facility for wide use of the playing field by the community, including neighbourhood schools and civic groups.

Old Trafford has not been used fully for sports and recreation since Grenada was devastated by Hurricane Ivan.

For more than six years, it was the site of classrooms of the T.A. Marryshow Community College, which was severely damaged by Ivan in 2004. Some motorists also turned the playing field into a parking lot.  

Government, through the Ministry of Sports, has promised to upgrade and rehabilitate the playing area which was used in the past for cricket, football and track and field competitions.