Tivoli FC opens new clubhouse

By Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter

TIVOLI Gardens yesterday charted a new course in local football with the opening of a clubhouse at the Railway Oval.

The new clubhouse is really an old Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) warehouse which has been in existence since 1944 and sits just at the edge of the football field. Housed in the well-equipped facility are a doctor's office, physiotherapy room, changing rooms for the home team and the visiting team, two changing room for referees with one set aside for females; a main office, a conference room, a kitchen, a vault, a lounge area and an up to date gymnasium.

The clubhouse was refurbished at a cost of approximately $4.2m according to Member of Parliament for West Kingston and club president, Edward Seaga. Of the $4.2m, $3.5 was provided by Lift Up Jamaica with the remainder coming from "private contributions from various people either in work or in materials".

Attending the official opening ceremony were Gail Gasgoigne a representative of Lift Up Jamaica, Owen Crooks, general manager of the JRC, Kingston and St Andrew Football Association president Richard Nathan and Clayton Solomon, executive director of the Institute of Sports. All praised the idea of building the clubhouse.

Putting in place a clubhouse, Seaga said, is a continuation of a process which began when the his was told that their playfield which is in the heart of the Tivoli Gardens community was too small. Then they were participating in the Major League.

Permission was sought to use the Railway Oval and it was granted. That was still not the ideal environment and steady improvements took place over time. A set of stands to seat 500 people was the last thing installed but there was still more to do as the previous changing facilities were not up to scratch.

"Because it (the building) was located right on the edge of the playfied we thought that it could be used to accommodate the clubhouse and with some modification we could accomplish that. We made an application to the Railway and also to the Minister of Works, Peter Phillips and was granted a long term lease on the building," explained Seaga.

"This is to lift the whole feeling in the club of how you do things... the attitude and conduct. It will do more than offer convenient facilities and comfortable surroundings and beautiful buildings. It will help to lift attitude and enable them to perform," added Seaga who said the next step is to increase the seating capacity of the club.

The recent sale of Jermaine Johnson which should be completed today, will not be used to finance that project. Those funds, the former Prime Minister, said will be part of a sports endowment fund.

"Those funds as I said will be part of a sports endowment fund and we will draw the proceeds from that fund to be used on sports activities. Sports is very expensive but now we will have the opportunity to have sports funding which is financed by proceeds from sports," Seaga said.

As positive as the atmosphere was with the progress of the club, Seaga expressed great sadness that progress towards a peaceful existence by people of differing political views have neen setback by recent events. For about four months violence which has claimed many lives, has plagued Western Kingston and South West St Andrew which includes the prominent teams of Tivoli Gardens and Arnett Gardens.

"Unfortunately after five years of playing matches between the two teams on our home grounds we have to discontinue that. I have had to inform the JFF that for the time being we cannot send players to Arnett Gardens or have them come here.

"In the past we played at Camp and we will have to find neutral grounds again. It is unfortunate, regrettable and is disappointing especially for me who has put so much in the process (of peace)."

Back to Sport