A new boxing facility is set to open its doors to the public in St George’s by the end of summer, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

Government is exploring proposed locations within the Community Centre in St George’s to establish a boxing facility with the assistance of Olympic bronze medal-winner Clarence Hill.

The former heavyweight, who won the island’s first and only Olympic medal at the 1976 Games in Montreal, has long advocated for such a facility.

“For years I have been asking government for a boxing gym and now it seems like all of the patience is beginning to pay off,” Hill said. “I would like to thank sports minister Nandi Outerbridge for giving me the opportunity to start a gym at the St George’s Community Centre.”

Sports minister Outerbridge is off island and was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Hill, who compiled a 17-3-1 record over the course of his six-year professional career, believes that boxing can play a major role in character development and is a positive alternative for young people who have fallen through the cracks.

“The way the social climate among our young people in Bermuda is going right now they need something positive to do and boxing can be something positive for them and I’m hoping that they take advantage of it,” Hill added.

“I moved in St George’s and figured it would be nice to have a gym down there to get the young men off the streets. There are a lot of kids out there who I think have potential, and this will give them something positive to do.”

Hill said a boxing ring and other training equipment has already been acquired and said the new facility could be ready by August.

“Everything is coming to fruition and it’s good to see it all coming together,” he said. “This is something that I have been hoping for many, many years.”