Government are putting their money where their Minister?s mouth is with regards to helping community clubs.

A million dollars of yesterday?s Budget has been earmarked for the purchase of popular sports venue ? White Hill Field ? from long-time owners, the Gosling family.

New Finance Minister Paula Cox?s announcement in the House of Assembly was welcomed by Somerset Bridge Recreation Club whose members use the premises for a variety of sports including cricket, football and baseball (for kids).

?We?re most definitely happy that Government has gone ahead and purchased Goslings? portion of the land,? said club president Bray Saltus, adding that he had spoken to previous Sports Ministers Dennis Lister and Randy Horton about the premises and the club?s future.

?This is one step in the right direction. These (clubs) are designed for neighbourhoods and this is a golden opportunity for our community to come together and utilise the facilities at White Hill for such purposes.

?It?s a beautiful location and a dynamite neighbourhood. We can all come together and take things to a higher level.?

Sports Minister Dale Butler explained that, with the acquisition of the Goslings? section of land, Government will now own the entire property.

?We?re very delighted to bring it to conclusion because this (the negotiations) has been going on for a couple of years ,? he said yesterday following the Budget.

?Now Government will own the whole field and not just a portion of it. This will prevent anyone from coming in and building houses or using it in other ways.

?We will never have to worry as happened in the Nationals Sports Club in Devonshire where they ended up having to sell it and it became a school and it was lost to the sporting community.

?We wanted to make sure we wouldn?t have that worry (at White Hill). It?s a very good deal and will remain an open space for sports.

?They are getting a very good price for it. They are happy and we?re happy,? he said, adding there are no immediate plans to develop the site given the ?expensive acquisition?.

Butler also disclosed that an elderly lady living on the property will be allowed to stay there for the rest of her life.

As for the Budget?s other major sporting components, he disclosed $500,000 had been set aside to complete the facilities building at the National Sports Centre.

?That?s mainly for the housing of equipment and it?s the next stage which will leave us with parking, netball and of course the centre core (to be done),? he added.

Butler expects a cost estimate soon on the centre core as well as the trustees? options for funding this multi-purpose, indoor sports arena.

On the CARIFTA Games, he pointed out no monies were allocated for this venture in the Budget as Government does not yet know how much they will be required to contribute.

They are committed to providing the shortfall between CARIFTA?s costs and the amount which the Bermuda Track and Field Assocation (BTFA) raise in sponsorship.

?We will probably have a supplementary on that. At the moment their (the BTFA?s) fund-raising is going very well and, who knows, they may very well raise all of it,? said the optimistic Minister.