Press Releases
USAID rebuilds sports ground in Trincomalee
Trincomalee - June 5, 2008: On Thursday, USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn inaugurated a new and improved sports ground and pavilion in the center of Trincomalee town.
“Sports are a great connector. This sports ground and pavilion will provide a space for people of all ages to improve their sporting skills and socially interact,” Ms. Cohn said at the opening. The Ehamparam Sports Ground is located close to the mixed community of Mannaiyaveli. “This USAID funded project aims to bring together diverse groups and promote collaboration and cooperation, providing hope for a more peaceful environment in Trincomalee,” explained Ms. Cohn.
The new-and-improved stadium is the first sports facility in Trincomalee that is disabled-accessible. USAID has a longstanding history of promoting inclusiveness for all Sri Lankans, and it strives to build accessible public facilities in order to empower disabled people to live independently. If disabled people are to participate in and contribute to society in a meaningful way, they need to have access to academic institutions, training facilities, and workplaces as well as shops and places of leisure.
In addition to improvements to the sport grounds, this project, implemented through Leonard Cheshire International, has provided for the construction of a new pavilion building, basketball court, boundary wall, water supply and drainage. USAID has funded a wide range of infrastructure development projects in Trincomalee, such as the Anuradhapura Junction Market, the Trincomalee Library, and the Trincomalee Main Bus Stand. USAID, the lead U.S. government agency delivering development assistance from the American people, will continue to support the Eastern Province through a variety of programs.