and White Hill Field for its popular baseball, basketball and soccer programme formerly taught on the US Naval Annex.

Coach Mr. Harley Hayward said yesterday BYSP was hoping to get Bernard Park for the older children and White Hill Field for the younger members.

He noted that an East End sports field would probably also be needed with the closing of the US Naval Air Station, also used to coach baseball and basketball -- for some 400 youngsters.

Negotiations with the Softball Federation and White Hill Field management were going well, Mr. Hayward said. Government had given the okay for Bernard Park.

The US Navy's withdrawal left the hundreds of children who are members of BYSP with no place to play their sports.

Triathlon organisers, bicyclers, tornado sailors, and go-carters were also victims of the base closures.

Government has said its hands are tied on the matter until the land is officially returned. And it could offer no guarantees the two groups could return to the Annex once the US Navy has gone.

BYSP had used Annex facilities every day of the week to teach after-school baseball, basketball and soccer.

In its three years of existence membership swelled to more than 300 children and teenagers.

Mr. Hayward had said at the time: "Here we are talking about a golf course when it's the Bermudian youth we need to be concerned about.

"With all the drugs and other problems the children have right now they need all the help they can get ... I understand we have to get capital into the country and a golf clinic is a way but we have to set something aside for the youth.'' Money-making ideas such as a winter tennis academy, a professional golf course and a sailing school have been proposed for the Annex.