Dellwood parents have called on Government to reconsider its plans for a multi-million-dollar national sports complex at Prospect.

The plans, which were to be phased in over a five-year period, include use of the old Technical Institute building by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

But in an ongoing attempt to stop the Education Department from putting primary school students at the Northlands Secondary School site and teenagers at Dellwood in 1997, parents recently met with Youth and Sports Minister the Hon. Pamela Gordon and director Mr. Brenton Roberts to share their concerns and proposals.

Among the parents' concerns were the safety of students at the school's Berkeley Road site and the lacking facilities there.

Represented by Dellwood PTA president Mrs. Amatullah Bashir and the primary school's restructuring committee chairperson Mrs. Mary Samuels, at a meeting on January 24, the parents proposed the following to Ms Gordon and Mr.

Roberts: Turning the old Technical Institute into Northlands middle school; Using part of the US Naval Annex and Canadian bases for National Sports Centre facilities; and Completing work, including the track and changing rooms, at the national stadium so that it can be used by students at the proposed middle and senior secondary schools and athletes.

Both women stressed that the proposal would be more cost efficient than Government's plans and would lead to a "win, win'' situation.

Noting that the Base closures were not considered when the original plans for a national sports complex were developed, Mrs. Bashir said there were facilities at Naval Annex that could be used as hostels for athletes and as regular guest accommodations when athletes were not visiting.

"They (Government) are trying to squeeze a 25-acre sports complex in an already congested area when there are some 200 acres of land at Southampton,'' Mrs. Samuels said.

Both she and Mrs. Bashir said a sports complex in Southampton should generate revenue for small businesses in the surrounding area.

Mrs. Samuels said the proposals had also been put to chairman of the National Sports Centre's board of trustee Mr. Donald Lines.

"He said he had been given a mandate and intended to stick with it,'' she said.

Mr. Lines confirmed that position when contacted by The Royal Gazette yesterday.

He noted that it was not within his power to change the plans which were before Planning.

"I am merely one of the trustees of a piece of land that we have been chosen to manage and I believe in that plan,'' Mr. Lines said.

Admitted that plans were not progressing as fast as he had hoped, Mr. Lines said the project was a "monumental'' task.

The plans include a sports hall, swimming pool and changing rooms, tracks for joggers, roller bladers, and cyclists, and a gymnasium between the old Bermuda Technical Institute and Frog Lane.

As well as the existing national stadium, the complex is to take in the field used by Devonshire Colts football team and lands between.

The centre was expected to be developed in six phases, with ground-breaking as early as June.

Last year Ms Gordon said: "One of the things we like most about this proposal is that there is the potential for additions.

"But if things go smoothly, Bermuda could possibly host the Carifta Games in 1997.'' Yesterday she said she met with Dellwood parents and explained the sports complex's history to them.

And Ms Gordon said while she listened to parents' concerns and promised to relay their recommendations to Cabinet, she stressed that as a Minister she would have to support Cabinet's decision.

Mrs. Bashir and Mrs. Samuels said Dellwood parents did not intend to give up their fight.

"We are going to make sure the basic needs within our community are met before we (Bermuda) start talking about other plans for the bases because our children have to come first. They are our future,'' Mrs. Bashir said.

"Pembroke is 20 percent of the Island's population and because of this we see more of the crime, household violence, and other social ills.

"We are congested in Pembroke. Young people don't have yards to play in. They need a certain environment to grow in. And sometimes only schools can provide that.

"This Government has to stop making money its first priority. Children must be seen to be our national treasure.''