It’ll be ‘impossible’ to relocate all activities
THE Sports Commission were left bewildered by the States over the extended closure of the treasured Sir John Loveridge Hall.
Sporting bodies have been scrambling to find alternative venues after the States of Guernsey announced without prior notice that it will use Beau Sejour’s main sports hall for the Covid-19 vaccination centre.
The States identified Beau Sejour as an ideal site for mass inoculation – but not until late yesterday did they publicly rationalise the use of the sports hall over similar spaces such as the centre’s less-utilised Dave Ferguson Hall.
‘Whilst we understand the need for the community vaccination centre, we are disappointed that the impact on sport and physical activity does not appear to have been given sufficient priority within the criteria for selecting the site,’ Sports Commission operations director Graham Chester said before the States issued their own statement.
‘The Sir John Loveridge Hall is the island’s only large community sports hall and losing it for such a long period of time is going to be extremely disruptive to a large number of sports, their players, coaches, supporters and the wider community.
‘We would like to understand the criteria used for deciding to select the sports hall ahead of any other States-owned or indeed private buildings that may also have been suitable to house the vaccination centre.’
GSC are asking member sports to contact them if they have any concerns about events that may be negatively impacted by the closure.
Beyond popular volleyball, basketball, indoor football and netball leagues, numerous sports and activities utilise the three courts for training, competition or recreation, every day of the week.
‘It is going to be impossible to find a suitable home for all these activities, many of which require specific equipment and storage for that equipment,’ Chester added.
GSC confirmed that they are looking at alternative venues for schools’ PE and the Specsavers Youth Games set for May, which is the expected minimum extent of the closure.
The Policy & Resources Committee said the sports hall was the ideal fit for what was required in terms of a suitable community vaccination centre because it met all of the key requirements.
Deputy Peter Ferbrache, president of the Policy & Resources Committee, said ‘there were no easy solutions here’ and ensuring the most appropriate facility ‘must be the priority’.
He added: ‘Other options were thoroughly considered but the Sir John Loveridge Hall satisfied all the requirements needed for the safe rollout of the vaccination programme.
‘We remain in the thick of managing our response to the pandemic and difficult decisions, which we understand will not always be universally popular, must be made. While inconvenient, it is an easier task to support sporting groups to find somewhere else to use than it is to run a vaccination programme for the entire community.’
Dr Nicola Brink, director of Public Health, said the decision to use the hall ‘was not taken lightly’.
‘I am acutely aware of the benefit sporting activities have on people’s health and wellbeing and the hall will be used for the minimum possible time. We need to continue to work together as a community as we move into the vaccination phase #GuernseyTogether.’
