A decade after an preliminary groundbreaking ceremony in 2015, St. Lucia has lastly begun digging the outlet for its new $ECD 12 million ($USD 4.44 million) Nationwide Aquatic Heart.
The pool, which is able to host the 2027 CARIFTA Championships, an annual swimming championships for Caribbean nations, is anticipated to take 18 months to finish, which might have it open with just some months to spare earlier than the March 2027 occasion.
St. Lucia was confirmed because the hosts simply over two weeks in the past, and has already begun work on the 8-lane, 65-meter indoor pool and a 500 seat capability primarily based on authentic plans. The pool can have movable bulkheads.
The Taiwanese authorities in 2015 made a contribution of over $ECD 1.055 million to jumpstart the venture.
The CARIFTA Championships options 4 age teams of swimming: 11-12, 13-14, 15-17, and 18+. This yr’s squad featured the nation’s best-ever efficiency, successful 12 whole medals. That features 4 gold medals from Sapphire Parks within the 11-12 age group.
The meet has been just lately dominated by the Bahamas, which has led the medals desk in any respect however one championship courting again to 2014. Saint Lucia final hosted the occasion in 1996.
Native journalist Terry Finsterre documented the preliminary work on the positioning at Beasejour, Gros Islet Cricket Floor on the northern finish of the island, the place many of the nation’s swim golf equipment are positioned.
The island takes about 90 minutes to drive throughout north-to-south.
Preparatory work is underway at Beasejour, Gros Islet, to get the Saint Lucia Nationwide Aquatic Centre prepared for the XL CARIFTA Aquatics Championships, Easter 2027. Nicely over a thousand swimmers, followers, mother and father, and officers can be anticipated on island 27-31 March 2027. 🏊♂️ 🇱🇨 pic.twitter.com/8i9dSgbctV
— Terry Finisterre (@terryfinisterre) April 24, 2025
