Within the next two weeks, youth in the Baugher's Bay area will have a renovated basketball court as works to resurface and install bleachers at the court are being undertaken.

Hon. Alvera Maduro-Caines, Sixth District Representative said works began on Sunday and are expected to be completed by September 25 when the court will be reopened. She said the renovation is long overdue.

"It means a lot to them [youth] because they have been getting some injuries on the court for the longest while with I guess how it was done originally. So quite a while they have been asking to have the entire court resurfaced and put some bleachers, because for years there were no bleachers. We have a few now and I am expecting to get another set...So there was no way persons could sit, so we couldn't really hold any tournaments there because of seating," she stated.

With the repairs, Baugher's Bay will now be able to host tournaments.

"Because you know we started the Sixth District basketball tournament, but we could not play in Baugher's Bay because of seating, poor lighting and so on; so this year it will be held there. They started on Sunday, scrubbing the court to prepare it. So they are supposed to be in full swing tomorrow...It will be closed until the 24, 25 of this month," she explained.

Asked about funding, Hon. Maduro-Caines said she approached Premier Hon. Dr. Orlando Smith for assistance to renovate the court for the youth and "he gladly did" with monies from his special funds.

"All of the recreational facilities fall under the Recreation Trust, which falls under the Ministry of Education and Culture. So it's really Recreation Trust to make sure all the courts and so on are done properly. But this particular project, I went to the Premier to get funding to do it and he agreed to do it from his special fund," the Sixth District Representative stated.

[Pictured: The basketball court in Baugher's Bay under renovation on September 12, 2012]