North Village Hopeful Of Having Lights In Place
[Written by Patrick Bean]
North Village Community Club are looking to have sports lights erected at its Bernard Park ground in time for the 2024-25 football season.
The club took possession of a set of four, Chinese manufactured, state-of-the-art lights in January of this year, but have had to watch them sit on the sidelines, while the club awaits the arrival of foundation supporting piles.
The piles are necessary due to the marshy nature of the area and should lesson the likelihood of the light poles from leaning and/or sinking.
Village president Shervin Dill explained the delay to be out of the club’s hands, with the local governing body, Bermuda Football Association [BFA], and world governing body Fédération Internationale de Football Association [FIFA] charged with funding and procurement of the piles.
“We are still waiting and it’s really in the hands of the BFA,” explained Dill. “The club has little to no control over the light situation.
“They are communicating with FIFA and doing their utmost to get these lights installed.
“The hold-up that we have been enduring since January are the piles. They have been so far quite difficult to get in.
“We’re ready and as soon as the piles arrive it’s a go for us to start construction.
“I’m projecting they’ll be ready for next season, whereby we will have what I’d call a stadium.”
North Village procured the lights after receiving an $870,000 grant from FIFA via the BFA.
Once erected the lighting will likely be the first of its kind installed at a sports ground in Bermuda, with the system using LED fixtures that require less electricity to operate, thus reducing operational costs.
Dill added that the lighting will also be geared to illuminate adjacent fields at Dellwood School and Dutton Avenue to the east to allow the areas to be used for evening training sessions.
At present there are five venues able to host night-time sporting activities along with Dame Flora Duffy Stadium, NSC North Field, Somerset Cricket Club, PHC, Devonshire Recreation Club and Goose Gosling field.
