The $10 million Sandys 360 Sport, Aquatic and Enrichment Centre will officially be opened next month, Sandys Middle School PE teacher Joyann Clarke revealed yesterday.

"We are going to be opening the centre on June 25. That's the official opening date and we are going to be having a whole set of activities like a jazz show," said Clarke.

Sandys 360 is a multi-million dollar non-profit community-funded sports and recreation complex currently under construction in the West End.

Once completed, the complex will boast the Island's only 25-metre indoor swimming pool and diving platform, a full-sized gym, an aerobics and fitness room, a weight room, a viewing gallery and juice bar as well as an enrichment centre featuring six classrooms available to members of the community who wish to either teach or indulge in various classes themselves.

"There's nothing else like this anywhere on the island. We want to show that when the community works together, great things can be achieved," commented former PLP MP, Walter Roberts.

Sandys 360 executive director and former principal, Melvyn Bassett, added: "It was our dream to create a purpose-built complex that offers a well-rounded programme of sports, recreation, enrichment and fitness activities that will be available year round to all members of the community."

So far $2.5 million has been raised for the project. But in order to be completed on schedule and staffed another $7.5 million is required, according to the Sandys Middle School Board of Governors.

To help reach their target, the West End school will hold another fundraiser (Sandys Big S Run) on Saturday at the nearby West End Primary School Field where sponsored students, teachers, parents and a host of local celebrities will lace up their sneakers and run to raise funds to go towards the completion of the facility.

"The Sandys Big S Run fundraiser is designed to involve the entire community. For example, we have primary schoolchildren who are going to be running five laps and they have people sponsoring them to run. Then we have our Sandys students who are also going to be running five laps and the parents who are going to be running two laps because I don't think they can handle more than two," Clarke explained.

"We have ex-scholars, teachers at Sandys and also have a celebrity category and have invited all of Cabinet. We have invited pastors, doctors and lawyers; we have invited everybody."

Organisers hope to have as many as 150 participants take part in the event that will be held between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

"The students will take up about 60 percent (of the entry) and then we are hoping the teachers, the PTA (Parents Teachers Association), ex-scholars and celebrities will take up another 40 percent," added Clarke.