Decades ago, the Berger Field was where sports legends were made on Southside Belize City. It's a historic field, but over the years, it was left to decay under the forces of time and neglect. And though a former UDP area rep promised to renovate it - and even broke ground - that never happened.
That "hope unborn" came alive this weekend, when the new and improved field was officially opened. Complete with turf pitch, the field has been fully decked out to host tournaments, or just for some casual games and family time.
Yesterday Courtney Menzies was at the ceremony and she has this story.
For decades, Berger Field was a victim of time, bad weather conditions, and just plain neglect. The once great field that produced many sporting legends became not much more than mud and grass.
But over the past two years, the field has been completely transformed - so much so that the 2023 Mundialito Tournament Championship game was held right there.
And while Berger Field will make an impact on the lives of the youths on the Southside, Minister of Tourism and Pickstock area rep, Anthony Mahler says they're not stopping there.
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
"As you all know, this was just a dirt field, many days when it rained, the people in this area and throughout Belize City couldn't play on this field and so this is like the epicenter of the Southside and this area and we collaborated with the football federation or Belize, the National Sports Council and the Belize City Council and the government of Belize to get this project going."
"It's a historic field and many of the greatest players from Belize grew up in this area, played on this field, and they excelled in football and went on to be national team players so this is an important field, the prime minister has committed to doing a couple more on the Southside and also we're talking about doing MCC."
And the PM is onboard with the plan. He told us that Southside residents can expect two more fields for players and fans, as well as the wider community, since they'll be in charge of its upkeep.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I have made a commitment that if we could build two more of these in the Southside, probably one by the Complex and then one in another area in Port Loyola, you triangulate, and so you have areas where young people can go and have clean fun and also to get the community involved because then once the community, if we have them feel they are the owners of this, they are going to take care of it."
"I have to mention that maybe we need to partner with the City Council where they can have a line item every year that can be used for the maintenance because while the families will be able to take care of it, they will need the financing for the maintenance, so I think it's a landmark here in the Southside, I think it's historic what we're doing, I want to give my commitment that our government is going to do more of this."
And the Minister of Sports also has big expectations that will come out of Berger Field.
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports
"This is an important milestone, this can change the lives of young people. I'm sure ten years from today, many of these young people will be representing Belize. And I'm sure that we are going to see a different ball game because we are seeing that transformation."
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
"We need more of it, and this is only one aspect of it. We need them to be able to stay in school so we have to roll out the free education program nationwide. We have to be able to have opportunities to grow the economy whereby people can work and make a decent living. We have to have better health system, we have to have- all these things go into making a better Belize."
And for the Mundialito Championship, Belize United took home the trophy for the second year in a row for the male category, and for the females, the winner was the Royal Fusion Team.
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