Guam – A new pool, 4 baseball fields and a exercise trail are all part of the new Harmon Loop Sports Complex which opened Wednesday in Dededo.
This $5 million project was funded with multiple federal grants, which includes $2.7 million from the Department of Interior Compact Impact Fund Grant. Other funds came from GHURA Community Development Block Grant and the National Park Service Land Water Conservation Fund Grant.
On Wednesday there was a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new recreational pool complex, 4 new baseball fields and a fitness trail off Harmon Loop in Dededo. These new facilities will add to the sports complex that already offers a venue for soccer, volleyball, basketball and boxing.
Starting Wednesday, swimmers will be allowed to use the pool, which also includes slides. But the slides will be off limits until they are certified next week on December 7th. The swimming complex will also have restrooms and showers within walking distance. Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares says having this complex in the central part of the island makes it convenient for everyone.
According to Savares, “Now the community can have a facility. If a child wants to swim people wont have to travel to the agana swimming pool. Of course this is for the entire island. This facility is not just for the residence of Dededo or Yigo, its for residence all over the island. if parents want to go watch a baseball game or come to the soccer fields, not everyone may have the same interest in the family they can all park in one place and walk to the different facilities that are available.”
Savares also adds that there will be a two dollar fee to use the pool, the same price of admission that the Agana pool charges. And for those who enjoy running or walking, there will be an exercise trail that will go around the perimeter of the parks and rec facilities,
Savares says, “This gives the residence in the north an alternative trail. We have a high traffic area around the mayors office and along Marine Drive and some residence go to the Yigo fire station now this an outlet that they can come to when kids can go swimming and parents can go walking.
Savares says the trail will be open through out the day. She says they are currently working on getting lights, once they are installed people will be able to use the trail in the evening. There’s also 4 new baseball fields, 2 little league fields and 2 collegiate size fields. These fields will have restrictions, they will only be used for games and not for practices. Savares says they are trying to find funding for lights so these fields can be used for night games.
The little league fields will have a distance of 225 feet from home plate to the outfield fence and the larger fields will have a distance of 325 feet. The maintenance crews says the fields will be ready for action this coming April or May, when the infield and outfield grass grows and takes root.
