Project Architect Wensley Williams shows the location of where the monument of Roger Allen Hodge will be located as members of the Naming Committee look on.

Members of the Naming Committee going through the drawings for the monument.

The new name is in memory of the late Roger Hodge, a Virgin Islander, who made the Sea Cows Bay softball field his sports clinic to teach and train youth in the community.

Today, October 19, 2011, members of the Naming Committee conducted a media tour where the location for the monument was identified and other plans for the park and ceremony were revealed.

Speaking at the media briefing this morning, Wensley Williams, Project Architect from the Public Works Department, disclosed the exact location of the statue and its dimension. He said upon careful analysis, the area was decided upon to locate the statue base, which is close to the road in what will be the parking lot for the softball field. He also said the dimension for the area for the statue base will be 50 feet from each side of the road and done in such a way to facilitate any future development so that the statue will not be of any obstruction to any infrastructure in the future.

Relating the physical dimensions of the statue base, Williams disclosed it will be 5 foot six inches by 5 foot six inches, a pedestal which will be three feet by three feet and the height of the status itself will be six feet. He said the dimensions were done in such a way so that it will be well elevated above the parking lot level.

The project architect said there are also plans to have a small recreational area with seating around the area where the statue would stand.

According to Chairman of the Naming Committee Julian Willock, Hodge was a young talented sportsman who played softball, baseball, volleyball and also coached young people in the area.

Willock stated that when the site was earmarked for a softball field, Hodge had taken a keen interest in the activities, construction and the work at the field and was also scouted by professional softball players in the United States. “We are all happy and honoured and the government of the day decided to name this facility in his honour,” he proudly stated.

Patrick Harrigan, who is also a member of the Naming Committee and Director of Youth Affairs and Sports, reiterated that Hodge played many sports and was an extremely good outfielder and batter to reckon with in softball. Harrigan said Hodge was taken away at a very young age and “we never got to see him develop to his full potential.”

“I think he would have been a force to reckon with in the softball field or any sport that he played.” Harrigan said it was really good to see that the government has decided to name the park after Hodge, since he was young player and tells that they are looking out for the young people as well. However, he said he would also hope to see the park properly maintained and hopes to see lots of activities, including softball championships take place there.

The naming ceremony will be held on October 31 at 3:30 p.m. on the field where remarks will be made by various Government officials including Premier Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal, Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Andrew Fahie and 3rd District Representative Hon. Julian Fraser, who championed the cause to have the facility named in Hodge’s honour.