New roof for Sunny Valley, light masts go up at sports field

SABA (THE BOTTOM) - Commissioner Rolando Wilson, Head of the Planning Bureau Bobby Zagers and Planning Bureau project manager Evita Pronk on Monday visited two projects currently in execution: the installation of the light masts at the Johan Cruyff Court and renovation of the roof at the Sunny Valley Youth Center in The Bottom.

The four lights masts have been put up at the sports field by the contractor Saba Roads. The delivery of the light masts, manufactured on special order in the Netherlands, suffered a delay due to the COVID-9 pandemic.

All equipment is now on Saba to complete the installation of the lighting, said Zagers. The installation should be ready somewhere around mid-February after the pulling of the cables, the completing of electrical work and the placing of the LED lights in the light masts.

Four LED floodlights will be installed per light mast, 16 in total. This will surely provide enough light for persons who want to play sports like soccer and soft ball on the field in the evening hours. The project is a donation by the Johan Cruyff Foundation, while LED floodlights are donated by Signify, formerly Philips Lighting.

Commissioner Wilson said he was happy that the project was reaching completion. He said with the lights installed people won’t have to stop playing after the sun goes down. “With a light system in place, the schools and the different groups in the community can make use of the field in the evening hours. Playing sports, being active and staying healthy are extra important during a pandemic,” he said. He thanked the Johan Cruyff Foundation and State Secretary of Public Health, Welfare and Sport Paul Blokhuis for supporting the project.

At the Sunny Valley Youth Center, work is progressing to reconstruct the roof. The roof was leaking and become weak, which is certainly not an ideal situation since the building acts as a hurricane shelter, explained Zagers.

The Sunny Valley project, which should be completed in the second quarter of this year, is financed through recovery funds of the Dutch Government. The contractor is Zagers Construction. A renovation of the building in 2014 did not include the roof. Both the Sunny Valley and the Johan Cruyff Court light masts are executed under the management of the Planning Bureau.

Commissioner Wilson inspected the roof on Monday, together with Zagers and Pronk. “I am pleased to see that the work is coming along. When the roof is finished, in time for the hurricane season, we will have a completely safe shelter once again,” he said.

Commissioner Rolando Wilson (third from left), Head of the Planning Bureau Bobby Zagers (right) and Planning Bureau project manager Evita Pronk (second from left) at the Johan Cruyff Court in The Bottom with one of the new light masts in the background.