Dear Editor,
The recent commissioning of a PVC plastic all-weather basketball court in Campbellville by the Ministry of Public Works was presented as a fulfilled promise and a victory for community spirit. Minister Bishop Juan Edghill stated the government’s goal was to deliver a “world-class replacement,” prioritizing community satisfaction over cost, and even committed to sponsoring a three-year tournament.
As a resident closely familiar with the area’s history and needs, I feel compelled to provide crucial context that reveals this project as fundamentally misdirected—and ultimately, disruptive to the very community it claims to serve.
Campbellville already had functional recreational spaces. In 1999, with SIMAP support, the Community Centre was rehabilitated, and a basketball court constructed north of Campbell Avenue. Another court existed near the American School in Prashad Nagar. These facilities were located within 150 meters of each and served distinct communities.
The newly constructed court sits on the playfield 150 meters south of the existing SIMAP court. This green area identified as Plot BB on the survey map was never intended for basketball. In 2023, this same plot saw an unsolicited and failed attempt by the Ministry of Youth and Sport to create a small-goal football pitch—a project that caused drainage issues and was never used. Community objections to that project were ignored. Now, history repeats itself.
The fundamental flaw is a profound mismatch between the project and the community’s fabric. The immediate area surrounding the new court is predominantly home to senior citizens, pensioners, and young children under 13 years of age. We have residents in their 90s living within 50 feet of the court.
The promised “community spirit” has materialized as nightly noise, loud use of profanity, increased traffic, and public nuisance from non-resident players who commute in, often playing past 10 PM. This is not revitalization; it is an imposition that destroys the quiet, safe environment essential for children’s study, elderly rest, and family relaxation.
Minister Edghill’s declaration that “cost was secondary” is alarming. Responsible stewardship of public funds requires primary consideration of need and impact. A proper project proposal would have included a history of usage, demographic analysis, and a social/environmental impact assessment. Any such review would have flagged this project as unsuitable.
Why install lights here when the court that was in Prashad Nagar never had them? Why impose a high-activity tournament venue on a tranquil, aged neighborhood? This feels less like development and more like disrespect.
To address the above issues, we propose the following solutions that align with the community’s actual character and needs:
Relocate the all-weather court to a more appropriate, centralized sports facility like the National Gymnasium tarmac or the National Park.
Remove or radically redesign the central pavilion, which obstructs the clear, 360-degree view of the field essential for child safety and parental oversight.
Fence the entire playfield, as was done, years ago, under the President’s Youth Choice Initiative programme, and develop it as a true community asset. Create an outdoor gym and a children’s centre that can be used to support the Campbellville and Redeemer Lutheran schools’ physical education programmes.
Rehabilitate and extend the existing Community Centre to host technical, vocational, and adult education programmes.
These measures would provide lasting, meaningful benefits that respect Campbellville’s demographics and history.
The government speaks of love for the people and putting cost second. We ask them to prove it by listening, correcting this error, and investing in what our community truly needs: peace, safety, and thoughtful development.