Uplift for sports islandwide

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Government in collaboration with the private sector will develop islandwide sports and recreational facilities in the next 10 years to ensure that the entire population will have easy access to modern sports and recreational facilities.

Opportunities will be created to optimise the economic benefits from sports. As a result, doors will be opened to Sri Lankan sportsmen and women to perform well in the world of sports, National Planning Department sources told the Sunday Observer.

At least one fully-fledged sports complex with modern facilities will be established in each province to provide opportunities for rural sportsmen and women to improve their talents and sports skills.

These complexes will comprise an athletics ground, indoor stadium and gymnasium and will also include facilities for athletics, swimming and indoor and outdoor games, the sources said.

According to the "Mahinda Chinthana Vision for the Future the existing facilities at district level will be improved through the provision of facilities and equipment. The D.A. Rajapaksa playground in Hambantota has been developed with modern facilities.

The Nawalapitiya and Ruwanwella playgrounds and Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium are in different stages of construction.

Sri Lanka has made considerable progress in sports during the last decade. Sports and public recreation facilities have been improved significantly to create a better environment and quality of life for sportsmen, their families and others around them.

Therefore, working with partners will help increase the availability of safe sports and recreation facilities through the upgrading of the ageing infrastructure, as well as developing programs to build new facilities to accommodate population growth and to encourage optimum utilisation of school facilities during non-school hours, the sources said.