Any sport for a storm

Damage here to the Arnos Vale Playing Field was minimal, and the Concacaf semifinal match between St. Kitts/Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines was played without compunction. Perhaps the worst affected sporting arena here was the newly refurbished Georgetown Playing Field. {{more}}
A complete refurbishment will have to be undertaken, and it will be some time before the natural realignment takes place there. The location of that facility is an age old environmental acceptance.
The area has been typically Caribbean and ideal for sports. The neighbourhood emerged as a decent housing area. But Hurricane Ivan forced many residents in that vicinity to reconsider their options.
The authorities also will have to look at long-term plans for that Georgetown facility. Fortunately, an alternative venue is available for sporting activity in Georgetown, and the loss of that spot, albeit temporary, would not have sunk too deeply in the community.
Besides the provision of additional sporting facilities, arrangements will have to be made for persons residing on the shoreline at Georgetown.
There has always been competition for sports and housing turf here.
Residents in Gorse, also in the North Central Windward constituency, had to endure the effects of Hurricane Ivan. Not that the winds were severe, but the raging seas encroached on lands where persons, in their desperation for housing, put up structures.
Part of that area was itself a playing field, used by the neighbourhood in olden days. The balance between sporting facilities and housing must be clearly outlined. Adequate sporting needs must be part of any worthy residential district.
The passage of Hurricane Ivan may have some impact on the ICC 2007 World Cup.
Destruction to the National Stadium in Grenada may cause some adjustment to the scheduling of matches.
The immediate blow-out of the storm was uncertainty of a planned Windward Island One-Day tournament. That was carded for September, and may from all accounts be scrapped. But a team will have to be assembled for the regional One-Day tournament.
How quick will renovation to the Grenada facility be completed for the 2007 World Cup is a matter of speculation.
Arnos Vale Playing Field was on the reserve list for allocation of matches. Whether that status will be upgraded and Arnos Vale is notched in is also a matter for close observation.
Whatever the situation, the region remains vulnerable to more factors than the weather. And we will have to monitor the climatic pattern in order to plot the next event on our calendar.