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A deputy who submitted written questions about outdoor facilities at Beau Sejour has been told there are no plans to reinstate the former trim trail or find an alternative use for the land at the north of the site.
Deputy Lester Queripel, pictured top left, was told that the trim trail was removed some time ago for financial reasons which applied equally today.
"The trim trail was removed due to its ongoing maintenance costs and the limited public interest in the facility, against a backdrop of increasing budgetary pressure," said Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture.
"The Committee currently has no plan to fund the reinstatement of the trim trail or a similar outdoor facility at Beau Sejour.
"The Committee’s current view, especially given the terrain, is that it is difficult to see how this area of the Beau Sejour estate could be put to effective use without incurring disproportionate costs."
Pictured: Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, top left, was replying on behalf of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture.
Deputy Dudley-Owen asked Deputy Queripel to note "that, via private funding, an alternative public outdoor adult fitness facility was installed at Delancey Park in 2013".
She also said that her Committee would be open to talking about alternative uses for the former trim trail but only if it was approached by an organisation or individual with ideas.
Deputy Dudley-Owen was replying to 10 written questions - known as Rule 14 questions - submitted by Deputy Queripel.
He submitted them to find out more information about the Committee's plans for outdoor sport in light of the Sports Commission, which is partially funded by the Committee, recently appointing its first Outdoor and Adventure Sports Development Officer.
Pictured: Alan Jenner, Guernsey's first Outdoor and Adventure Sports Development Officer. Credit: Guernsey Sports Commission.
Deputy Queripel asked Deputy Dudley-Owen whether her Committee had plans to improve existing outdoor sports facilities or provide new facilities.
In reply, Deputy Dudley-Owen said: "Yes. One of the ambitions of Active-8 – A Plan for Sport [the Committee's overarching policy plan for sport] relates to making open spaces accessible and connecting the community with its natural surroundings, inspiring individuals to use the great outdoors to get active, immersing themselves in the natural world to do so, alongside making parks, open spaces, playing pitches, and transport links more attractive and accessible to inspire daily habitual physical activity.
"The Committee looks forward to working with the Sports Commission’s new Outdoor and Adventure Sports Development Officer in contributing to the development and implementation of plans and other strategies for outdoor and adventure sport.
"The Committee is also currently in the pre-tender stage of further refurbishment works to the Garenne Stand building at Footes Lane. Officers are also in discussions with the Guernsey Football Association about the development of new facilities at the Victoria Avenue playing fields, although the proposed new facilities will not be funded by the States.
"Ongoing workstreams attached to Active-8 might well identify a need for new outdoor sporting facilities. We will continue to work alongside the Guernsey Sports Commission in establishing and prioritising any identified needs."
Pictured: In February, Guernseyman Martin Yabsley, who played basketball professionally for 12 years, told Express that the main sports hall at Beau Sejour has the worst floor he has played on anywhere in the world.
Deputy Queripel also asked Deputy Dudley-Owen a question about the floor of the Sir John Loveridge Hall at Beau Sejour.
Deputy Dudley-Owen said: "it is correct to say that the Beau Sejour sports hall floor is not fully sprung. Originally, the floor had no spring, but a decision was taken several years ago to apply a limited amount of spring.
"Advice suggests that a fully sprung floor would not be suitable or easily sustainable given that the main sports hall is, and has always been intended to be, a multi-use facility accommodating not only multiple sports but also functions and events such as balls, dinners, conferences, trade shows and concerts, some of which involve significant weight loadings on the surface."
The Rule 14 questions and replies can be read in full HERE.
Boost for outdoor and adventure sport
Sports hall floor at Beau Sejour is "the worst in the world"
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