Volleyball complex to be erected in Haiti from donations

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, October 14, 2010 – A combined group of U.S. institutions composed of Youth Without Borders, Professional and Scientific Associates and Creative Tent International are joining the NORCECA and FIVB efforts to build an indoor volleyball complex in Haiti, the impoverished Caribbean nation hit by a devastating earthquake in January 2010.

For this purpose, all met this week at NORCECA headquarters in Santo Domingo along with representatives from the National Olympic Committees of Haiti and Dominican Republic, the Sports Ministry of Haiti and the Haitian National Volleyball Federation.

It was informed that Creative Tent International, a company based in California founded by Mr. Robert Stafford, will donate one of its patented modular and portable expandable structures (120 x 120 square meters) that fits two official indoor volleyball courts with all requirements and can be installed on concrete, asphalt, ground, or grass.

The huge tent can withstand 100 mile winds and can collapse in the event of an earthquake and quickly be resurrected. 

The Haitian government will provide the piece of land for the execution of the project, exclusively for volleyball, and it was agreed that the ideal place is one located five kilometers outside of Port-au-Prince already owned by the Ministry of Sports.

NORCECA shall provide two Sport Court floors, including the rubber base, and all the accessories for the installation of the playing area. It will contribute also to the building of a surrounding brick wall on perimeter of the complex.

It was agreed that NORCECA will be the institution that will take care of overseeing the construction process of the complex to be named “Haitian Volleyball Centre, a FIVB/NORCECA Development Program.”

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, President of NORCECA and FIVB First Executive Vice President, who represented Mr. Jizhong Wei, the FIVB President.

Mr. Jean Edoard Baker and Mr. Luis Mejia Oviedo, Presidents of NOC of Haiti and Dominican Republic respectively, Mr. Byron Shewman and Ms. Lily Richardson representing the Donating USA Group attended the gathering. Also present were Mr. Daniel Pierre Charles, Director of Haiti Sports Ministry and Mr. Guy Joachim, President of Haiti NF.