Port Soif completion will make it the best

PORT SOIF could soon boast arguably the outstanding private sports facilities in the island. Guernsey Rovers Athletic Club have formally submitted their latest plans for the completion of their ambitious and expansive project on the west coast.

The applications to the Environment Department come just weeks before the historic move of Evening League division one cricket to Port Soif - and after the laying of the new artificial wicket on Easter Saturday.

'We believe they will be the best privately managed self-funded sports facilities in the island. It's the closure of our sports centre that is not in the hands of the States,' said club president Drew Pollock.

'This is the culmination of our aspirations to have the sports that our members wanted and we are now closing the door on that and will manage it thereafter within the settled boundaries.'

Rovers AC currently have about 500 adult sports and social members - excluding its large minis football section.

Their plans should create a bright future for football, cricket, archery and boules at Port Soif.

A new archery shelter is planned with the creation of an open and covered wooden shooting bay looking down the range. It would be similar to the golf driving range at La Grande Mare, but on a smaller scale.

The shelter would protect expensive equipment and allow shooting to continue during rain.

It will be managed and maintained on a volunteer basis.

A secure building extension to the east of the clubhouse has already been given planning approval and work is due to start in the summer.

It will be used for the maintenance of equipment for all sports which use the facilities. It will also include an administration office and storage areas and additional toilets for players.

Fund-raising for the work, which may be phased, is continuing.

It is hoped to realign an existing earthbank and remove an earth and stone mound to provide an extended playing surface.

A retrospective application for four new bolted perspex football dugouts has been lodged.

Car park capacity could also be increased by about 20 spaces by removing two central earthbanks and replacing them with a railway sleeper. The area can get jam-packed with in excess of 250 minis being taken to and from Port Soif.

Cost of the groundworks will not be significant and overall project costs will be relatively modest due to the generous contributions of members.

Another retrospective application has been made to install a water tank to feed water on to the pitch area.

About 600 trees have been planted over the past two years around the whole site and inside the nature trail.

Rovers AC officials have also agreed to cede some land to the west and near Les Grandes Rocques back to the Environment Department as it is no longer needed.

'We started this project in 1995 to provide the support we felt our members needed.

'We are now 12 years on from then and we now have sufficient activity to put the boundaries in to delineate the site and give protection to nature,' said Pollock.

'We want to secure the site in a natural way and tidying up the perimeter gives support to an end to what we started,' he added.

Rovers AC executive committee member Paul Porter said: 'We are just trying to provide the best possible facilities to our members.'

The clubhouse opened on 3 June 1996, but a burst water main last year led to flooding through a heating system cupboard and into the central-heating ducts and back of the building.

It did not bode well, with the clubhouse having a 60m slab and sandy base which became like a sponge.

Water damage has led to extensive internal work, which should be completed shortly.

It has resulted in a renovated clubhouse building, costing many thousands of pounds to repair, but it was covered by insurance.

The provision of the new artificial wicket is part of the club's continuing relationship with the Guernsey Cricket Association who funded it and it is maintained on a lease arrangement.

Club member Bryan Martel has provided all the design work for the storage building free of charge.