(Capitol Hill, CNMI – July 1, 2021) The transformation of Tinian’s Broadway Estates Basketball Court and baseball field last weekend couldn’t have come at a better time for the island’s youngest residents.
The basketball court received a long-overdue facelift from the Tinian Mayor’s Office, Typhoon Sports Association, and FitBeat Anti-Tobacco Wellness, the newest partners of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers’ (GCEA) Public Private Partnership program. The partners teamed up with Tinian’s very own Senate President Jude Hofschneider, Sen. Francisco Cruz, Sen. Karl King-Nabors, the Office of House Minority—CNMI House of Representatives-22nd Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature—their staff, and family members, Team KOKA, and Voices of the CNMI. The June 25-26 Tinian PPP event also marked the second Tinian site adopted into the GCEA’s transformation campaign. The Jones Beach, adopted by Triple J Enterprises, Inc. in February this year, was the first one.
“We definitely welcome the PPP project on Tinian. We have students and kids who want to participate in sports programs, especially now that school is on break, and we need a venue for them to showcase their talents and skills,” said Sen. King-Nabors, who is also involved with the Typhoon Sports Association’s basketball teams.
The senator added that since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the island experienced a drastic drop in sports activities, and the situation was made even more challenging by the unsafe conditions at the Tinian Gymnasium, which sustained damage from Super Typhoon Yutu. Now that the basketball court and baseball field have undergone improvements, residents – particularly the youth – will be encouraged to go outside and be active by playing or joining sports competitions.
Tinian resident Joseph Estrada said he and his two sons can now walk to the court and play instead of driving to the Tinian Elementary School to play at the court there.
“It’s summertime and I am sure a lot of children will come here and play. This is one of the most utilized sports facilities on Tinian since the gym was damaged by the typhoon,” Estrada said.
Typhoon player Colleen Cing also said her team used the court often even though the nets were worn out and the rims were rusty and old.
“I am glad they were able to make the basketball court look better and our leaders decided to work on something that the youth on Tinian uses frequently.” said Cing.
The basketball court, which sits at the heart of the Broadway Estates Housing, was painted along with the bleachers and the backboards. Its rims and nets were replaced. The dugouts of the baseball field also received a fresh coat of paint, courtesy of the House minority bloc.
Senate President Hofschneider said the transformation of the village facilities is a great start to the renewed partnership among Tinian’s leaders, the business community, residents, various organizations, and the GCEA, as the island gives its full support to the PPP campaign.
Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan hopes that the people of Tinian will be inspired by the second PPP project on the island and will step forward to adopt more sites and facilities that both tourists and residents will enjoy.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres was pleased that another village facility has been added to the list of adopted sites under the PPP initiative. Sixty sites and villages facilities have been adopted so far, less than a year after the campaign was launched. The program has welcomed 57 partners, who have committed to caring for the sites for five years.
“To all our PPP partners on Tinian, Rota, and Saipan, thank you for your tireless efforts in transforming our destination sites and village facilities. In due time, the entire Marianas will see the product of your hard work and commitment to this campaign as we move forward with our efforts to promote The Marianas as a ‘Multi-Island Integrated Destination’ and provide our residents with safe and pleasing facilities and sites we can all be proud of,” said Gov. Torres during the launch ceremony and the second leg of the GCEA’s anniversary celebration.
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Media Contacts:
Edna Nisola
Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers
Kevin Bautista
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor