history of and future hopes for the National Sports Centre.

*** One day in 1992 Donald Lines was enjoying a football match when the former Premier Sir John Swan cornered him.

In manoeuvre worthy of those on the field Sir John asked Mr. Lines to take on the job of developing the National Stadium. He did not just ask, he did it publicly.

Four years on, Mr. Lines has no regrets although he acknowledges that he underestimated the size of the challenge.

"We thought we would get on with it right away. There have been moments when a number of my Trustees thought of saying `who needs it','' he said.

It did take a while and obstacles had to be overcome, but now redundant buildings are coming down, fields are being levelled and some money is in the pot for future work.

The National Sports Centre -- as it is now known -- is starting to take shape and there is hope it will be ready for the Millennium or perhaps even before so it can take centre stage in turn-of-the-century celebrations.

Plans include a 50 metre swimming pool, gymnasium, a huge building capable of seating 5,000 people, measured track, two soccer pitches and a cricket pitch.

Old buildings will be either demolished or refurbished and turned into suitable centres for the community. The aim is to cater for the whole community, not just the elite athletes.

It was the World Cup qualifying games in 1992 when the National Stadium was bursting at the seams that Sir John played a blinder.

The Bank of Bermuda was heavily involved in promoting the games and getting people out of their armchairs to the Stadium.

Enthused at the effects on the community he wanted to improve the Centre.

Lines takes on a very tough project "After about the third or fourth game, Sir John cornered me and asked if I would take on the job of Trustee for the National Sports Centre and get it built.

"He not only did it to me at a football game but also publicly so I was cornered. That was the start of it.

"The only condition I laid down for Sir John was that I would pick my Trustees. I picked some extraordinary Trustees who have given their time generously,'' said Mr. Lines.

With Mr. Lines as chairman the Board of Trustees was duly appointed, with expertise in business, leisure and sports. The size of the project quickly dawned on them.

Existing facilities were poor -- with no showers, no changing rooms and continual problems with the lights and the track, made worse because two different groups involved went bankrupt.

Mr. Lines added: "The initial piece of property identified for us was the existing Stadium field and a field to the north used by the Devonshire Colts.

That was what Government told us we would get.

"We were effectively given the semi-management of the National Stadium's existing field with a very limited budget and asked to talk about the final picture, but we did not know if we would get the property.'' Government had signalled its intention to transfer the land to the Trustee's ownership, but it was late in 1995 that the House of Assembly passed the necessary legislation.

But even that was not without controversy as the PLP was furious with the plans to turn over development and management to the Trustees.

Complaining that they had never been given a copy of the development plans, they charged that they did not know what they were being asked to approve.

Late Opposition leader Frederick Wade told the House: "It is contemptuous of Government to give away land to some Trustees and not even show us the plans.'' It had taken almost exactly three years from Mr. Lines being approached to the transfer of ownership of the land taking place.

In those three years improvements were made -- to changing rooms, toilets and showers and the track and equipment were upgraded.

Trustees also used the time to see other sports centres, carried out pre-planning to ensure ideas were ready to roll once the land was handed over and talked to Bermuda's sporting groups to see what they wanted.

"When Government decided they would give us the property as well as the Sixth Form Centre and the old Bermuda College that truly changed a number of things we were going to do,'' added Mr. Lines.

"It gave us a lot more land and a lot more headaches because of buildings there with asbestos in them.

"But it has also opened up a lot of opportunities for us to make it a bigger, broader community-orientated facility.'' The design now will include a track which can be used for jogging, roller blading and cycling and a 50 metre swimming pool with warm up pool.

There will be a cricket pitch, two soccer pitches, and a main building with enough room to seat 5,000 people inside for concerts and meetings.

Old, once redundant buildings will be modified and upgraded to secure large and small rooms for a variety of uses, ranging from music to martial arts.

Mr. Lines could not put a price tag on the cost of the works, but money will be primarily raised through a bond issue and Government has agreed to under-right the interest and the cost of running the centre.

"From day one we made up our minds it would not be an elite sports centre, it would be a community centre,'' said Mr. Lines.

"We are trying to develop something that can be used by the elite athletes and by the community.

"The aim is flexibility, but not to mess with entrepreneurs already operating.'' Perhaps the real challenge will be encouraging sporting groups to make proper use of the Centre and at least two groups are waiting to see what the availability of its resources will be.

There also remains lingering concerns that it could become an expensive white elephant, perched on a hill and barely used.

Neville Tyrell, President of the Bermuda Football Association, said one his major concerns would be the availability of the pitches -- as in the past they had not always been available at their pleasure.

However he did give the Centre his support and he believes Bermuda does need a national stadium.

"In terms of how it will benefit us in terms of its final lay-out remains to be seen, but we do need a national stadium.'' He said perhaps the Trustees were trying to do too many things but he acknowledged that in a country the size of Bermuda it was impossible to have individual national football, cricket and athletics centres.

"Bermuda will have to get used to using a multi-purpose sports centre,'' he said.

Stanley Douglas, President of the Bermuda Track and Field Association, said: "One is not always sure where they are going, but they have attempted to talk to us as often as possible.

"Some of the challenges they have had included identifying just how large a sporting complex it should be.

"Our real challenge is to make sure we are able to have proper use of it. The National Sports Centre is used for other events which possibly have greater revenue than investing in young people who we maybe charge $2 for a race meet.

"Our challenge is not really what is going to be there, but that what is there will be accessible to young people at a reasonable rate in the future.'' But one person who has no doubts about either the future success of the Centre or the choice of person to develop it, is Sir John.

"I absolutely do not regret getting Donald Lines involved. He has the brains, the contacts and the commitment and when he takes on something he gets it done.

"I said this about him and knew that the project would require someone of his calibre. I went after the best.'' About the length of time it took to hand over the land to the Trustees, Sir John said there had been many other priorities to be dealt with.

"We think now the Trustees have the right formula and I am looking forward to its completion.

"I am very happy with the plans. I think it caters to the principle objective of building a sports centre for the community.

"It is going in the right direction. It is being done for the right reasons in a competent, practical way,'' said Sir John.

And Youth and Sports Minister Tim Smith added his support to the way the Centre was progressing.

"We are at one of the most important phases of the development -- that is the ultimate design of a world class facility for the community and the promotion of sports events,'' said the Minister.

Getting business involved was a critical but correct decision said Mr. Smith who said Government had to ensure that the business and local communities were involved from the start -- rather than Government simply delivering a building. "There is no sense of community otherwise.'' Mr. Lines hopes it will be a three-year project, ready in time to host Bermuda's Millennium events.

"Holding my team together was quite a job. They were business people all used to getting on with the job and it was very frustrating.

"But I think we are meeting the challenge. It is a major challenge, it is not a small facility.'' DESERTED SCENE -- Rubble now, but soon it will be green fields for soccer and cricket players.