THE major sports complex costing an estimated $4.5 million the Sandys Foundation has planned for the northern perimeter of Sandys Secondary Middle School is moving closer to becoming a reality, according to former Assemblyman Walter C. Roberts.

He revealed this when accepting a cheque for more than $6,000 from the Bascome Family, proceeds from the party given in celebration of the 100th birthday of their mother, Mrs. Elsie Bascome.

Mr. Roberts said stepped-up efforts enlightening the community at large about the dynamic features of the Sandys Community Sports Centre are definitely paying off, yielding the most encouraging responses, especially when people realise the facility will not just be limited to the needs of Sandys Middle School students, but for other western district schools and the public at large.

Designed for after-school, year-round use, the complex will embrace an enclosed 25-metre swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and a full size gymnasium.

This will be a full-size gymnasium that can be used as an auditorium and performing arts centre. It will be purpose built for basketball, volleyball, and include badminton and racquetball courts. The gym will be available to physical education teachers, coaches and instructor for fitness classes, team training, skill development and community dance classes.

The fitness centre or health club that will be used by the students will also be available to the general public early mornings, late evenings and year round.

"We can only say this is breathtaking in its scope," said Mr. Roberts, who has been devoting in excess of 20 hours a week of his time for the Sandys Secondary School Foundation organising the fund-raising, overseeing designers and lining up contractors for an early ground-breaking effort.

The Foundation is a registered Bermuda and international charity. Its chairman is Walter Lister, MP, and other officials are Mrs. Valerie Dill, Travis Gilbert, Austin Warner, Hariscard Sukdeo, Melvin Bassett, the school principal, and, of course, Mr. Roberts.

Chairman of the Sandys Secondary board of governors is Khamisi Tokunbo, the former Director of Public Prosecutions. He explained the board embarked on what has been termed The Sandys Beyond 2000 Community Sports Centre to complement the $9 million investment the Government made in Sandys Middle School, adding new science labs and classrooms as well as facilities for computer, music, family and business studies.

Other motivating factors, said Mr. Tukunbo, were the rapidly growing drug-associated social problems and concern over the lack of adequate educational and recreational facilities available for youth and adults.

This is a combined effort on the part of the Government, the board of trustees of Sandys and the community at large will become a prototype for each of Bermuda's strategically located middle schools, enabling similar year-round use and becoming the hub of each community.

Speaking on behalf of the Bascome Family, Richard Bascome said he wanted to set an example for the community in deciding to hold the birthday party for his mother in the Sandys Auditorium as a means of stimulating interest on behalf of other families who have benefited over the years from the school, and for generations to come.

MR. Bascome is the younger son of the former veteran educator. He is owner and operator of Westover Dairy and Farm his father established decades ago at Daniel's Head. It also proved to be a grand opportunity to celebrate a life well lived by is mother and for a gathering of the Bascome clan from far and near.

Playing a leading role in the effort was Mrs. Bascome's only daughter, Mrs. Barbara Clemons

Barbara lives in Dayton, Ohio where she pursued a long career as a teacher before going into retirement.

She is the mother of two daughters, Karen Rae Clemons, who is a third-generation teacher at CedarBridge Academy, Lorraine, a school principal in Dayton, and her twin brother, Lawrence, also of Dayton, who lives in Tennessee. They all returned to Bermuda for the party along with spouses, children and great children.