$97M to ‘fix up’ Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

Dec 06, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – ECS Construction & General Supplies has been awarded a $97, 425, 000 contract by the Government of Guyana to rehabilitate the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue. The project was estimated to cost $103.6M.

The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) announced via its website that ECS Construction was awarded the $97M contract on November 21, 2022.

Some 19 companies submitted bids for the project with six bidders bidding lower than the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ engineers’ estimate of $103.6M. The Ministry was approved $3.2B in this year’s budget for the continued development of sport in the country.

An artist’s impression of the rehabilitated Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (Photo courtesy of Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson)

During a visit to the Sport Hall on Monday, Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture Charles Ramson told Kaieteur News that the $97M covers only the first phase of the rehabilitation project.

The Minister explained that the work at the Sports Hall will be done in phases that will run concurrently.

Speaking of the first phase, the Minister said “this one is for the redesign of the front section; the entire front section is going to be pulled down and be modernized.” This specific phase is expected to be completed in eight months.

The other phases will see the entire facility air conditioned and the installation of bucket seats. The Minister disclosed that the Sports Hall’s flooring will be enhanced as well while the bottom sides of the building are to extended “to give us a little bit more room.”

Ramson said that the Sports Hall is old and rehabilitation is aimed at modernizing the facility.

The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall located on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown

“You know we are in a modern country. We need to have a modern facility especially a modern indoor facility, it would be the only air conditioned facility that is indoor in the country and that’s important not only for the sports that we play there currently, let’s say we wanna host international boxing this would be a good facility for that,” he explained.

Following the tender to rehabilitate the facility, the Ministry had also invited bids for the repair of the main roof which is estimated to cost $12.5M, electrical installation works which is estimated to cost $37.9M and the heating, ventilation and, air conditioning (HVAC) installation works, estimated to cost $74.2M.

Works ongoing to the front section of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

While the Ministry is looking to upgrade the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Director of Sports, Steve Ninvalle during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Heritage Games back in September had mentioned that the Government has plans of constructing Sports Halls in several regions come 2023.

These facilities he shared will be placed in Regions One, Three, Seven, Eight and Nine. Quoted in a Department of Public Information (DPI) article, the Director said, “We are having funds to make sure that there is the construction of sports halls in all of these regions to the tune of $80M each.”