Antigua and Barbuda could have an Olympic-sized swimming pool within approximately three months as work advances on the Harrison sports complex in Potters, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said Saturday.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show, Browne described the development as an approximately $20 million investment supported by donor funding and government contributions.

“In about three months Antigua and Barbuda will boast a full Olympic-sized swimming pool,” he said.

Browne said the swimming facility had been expanded from a smaller pool originally proposed for the development after he pressed donor Sir David Harrison to increase its size.

He said the Swimming Association had advocated for an Olympic-sized pool for years and that the new facility could allow the country to accommodate swimming meets.

The wider complex will include a baseball diamond, facilities for football and cricket, and hard courts for basketball, netball and volleyball, along with spectator stands, Browne said.

He linked the inclusion of baseball to efforts to integrate Spanish-speaking citizens and residents into the country’s sporting life.

The update followed observations from a programme host that seating and perimeter fencing were being installed, landscaping was progressing and excavation for the pool had begun.

Browne also said he had asked the sports minister to explore bidding to host some events at a future Commonwealth Games, following a suggestion from a Commonwealth representative.

That proposal remained exploratory, with no confirmed bid or hosting arrangement announced during the programme.

Browne said the Potters development would complement planned improvements to community sporting facilities across the country. Cabinet had agreed to allocate $17 million in the next budget year, providing $1 million for each constituency, he said.

He presented the investments as part of an effort to engage young people in sport, improve health and discipline, and support crime prevention.

Browne did not give a specific opening date for the pool or say whether all sections of the complex would be completed within the same three-month period.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Olympic-sized pool expected within three months at Potters sports complex.