$1.2M contract inked for resurfacing A.O. Shirley track

The Virgin Islands has moved closer to restoring the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground athletics track after a $1.2 million contract was signed to replace its running surface with a new internationally certified system.

The contract was signed on June 17 between the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and Mondo America Inc for the supply, installation and supervision of the resurfacing works. The project is being funded through a partnership involving the Virgin Islands government, the BVI Olympic Committee and PanAm Sports, with the RDA overseeing implementation. 

According to the RDA, the first phase of the project will take about four months, including an estimated two months to manufacture the specialised track system and another two months to ship it to the territory. Once the material arrives, contractors will remove the existing surface and install the new track.

The upgraded facility is intended to restore the venue to the standards required to retain World Athletics Class 2 Certification, improve athlete safety and extend the track’s service life. It is also expected to allow the venue to host regional and international athletics competitions once again. 

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley described the agreement as an investment in the territory’s future.

“As we sign this contract for the resurfacing of the AO Shirley Recreation Ground Track, we are doing more than fulfilling a procedural milestone,” Premier Wheatley stated.

“We are sealing an investment in our athletes, in our youth, and in the future of sports in the Virgin Islands. The A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground is the heart of athletics in the Virgin Islands,” he added. 

A significant investment in BVI sports

Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sharie de Castro said the project represented more than a construction initiative.

“Every race begins with a starting block. Every dream begins with an opportunity, and every champion needs a track beneath their feet. For generations, the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground has been the starting block for the Virgin Islands, and today we are taking another major step forward with the complete resurfacing of this track — a significant investment in the future of Virgin Islands sports,” de Castro stated.

She also noted that the government had invested more than $1.5 million in athletes and sporting organisations over the past three years, adding: “But if we invest in talent, we must also invest in the places that help produce that talent. Medals may be won on the world stage, but greatness is built long before that.” 

RDA Board Chairman Jerry Samuel said the upgraded facility could support sports tourism and strengthen the local economy.

“The Minister’s vision is to see this facility used in a serious way to promote sports tourism, and that vision should be supported. It has the potential to contribute to the diversification of the territory’s tourism product and strengthen its economic base,” Samuel stated.

He added that the RDA was well-positioned to deliver the project, saying the agency’s mandate covered major public infrastructure works across the territory. 

The resurfacing project continues efforts to rehabilitate the A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground, which was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017.