PRESIDENT of the Trelawny Football Association (TFA) Linnel McLean is lamenting the poor state of the Elleston Wakeland Sports Complex in the town of Falmouth.

“It is in need of much upgrade, whole heap of upgrade. The facility is run-down… it’s a run-down facility and it should be the premier sporting facility in the parish. It is almost like a cattle pasture with two fences,” McLean bemoaned.

He articulated the need for improvement to the playing surface, perimeter fencing, bathroom facilities, among other concerns.

According to McLean, the facility, which is named in honour of former Trelawny Northern Member of Parliament Elleston Wakeland, is the venue for the finals of all TFA-run competitions, as well as for hosting football and netball players in and around the community on a day-to-day basis. The compound is also used as a training ground for a number of the parish’s sport teams, including the Trelawny Women’s Football team and Baca Stars FC.

McLean pointed out that presently the TFA has been assisting in “getting the facility up to scratch”, but is inhibited by financial constraints.

Former national football player Cassman Williams, coach of the Trelawny Women’s Football team and Baca Stars FC, said the Trelawny Parish Council, who owns the facility, should pump back some of the funds collected for the erection of a cell tower by a telecommunications company on the premises into the upgrading of the facility there.

“The parish council is getting an annual fee from the company for the satellite that is erected on the grounds. For the past 15 years the parish council don’t do anything to the ‘centre’. The money they (parish council) are getting has now reached $700,000 per year,” Williams charged.

“I had a meeting with the mayor and they promised to purchase a lawn mower so we can cut the field, and it is over a year now and we can’t get it up until now.”

He warned that the roof of the building is disintegrating and poses a threat to the safety of individuals who use the facility.

“The concrete dropping out inside the building; one of the days it may collapse on the people down there. It look like dem waiting for someone to die before dem (TFA) take action,” Williams rued.

Mayor of Falmouth Councillor Garth Wilkinson told the

Jamaica Observer West that some of the challenges which have dogged the facility will be hammered out as soon as a management committee is established, hopefully by the end of the year.

According to the mayor, who is also the councillor for the Falmouth Division where the facility is located, the suggested management committee will comprise representatives from sporting organisations in the parish, the Trelawny Parish Council, and other stakeholders.

“In fact, they (stakeholders) gave us a contract. There are two clauses to the contract that we have sent off to our (parish council) lawyers which the lawyers want us to remove before the committee can come in place,” the mayor revealed.