Bens open swimming pool on Friday

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

A long felt need for the Benedictine family will soon be a reality when the swimming pool named the Rev Bro.Granville Perera Aquatic Centre is opened on July 9 at 8 a.m by Project Chairman Jeyam Perumal.

Incidentally Jeyam is the younger brother of Dr.Ranjit and Selva who also played cricket for the Kotahena school. Jeyam has the distinction of playing for SBC and St.Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya.

This gigantic undertaking has been completed at a cost of Rs. 32 million according to the Director of SBC Bro.Granville Perera. I visited the swimming pool to see the work that was going on apace and was fortunate to run in to a smiling and contended looking Bro.Granville and in a chat he explained to me the sweat, toil and the money that went into making the pool possible.

‘As usual when the pool was mentioned, the hurdle to be cleared was finding the all-important finances. I was fortunate to have Jeyam Perumal as Chairman of the Project and with a committee that worked very hard the finances became a reality.

‘It will be a day that will be writ in letters of gold as the Benedictine family will finally have a dream come true that of having a swimming pool to call their own’, said Bro.Granville. The Benedictines are equipped with every sporting need. From a lovely playing field at Bloemendhal Road, to turf wickets, practice pitches, basketball courts are all at the disposal of their sportsmen. And now a thing that they lacked from the inception of this leading Christian brothers school in the country a swimming pool will be a reality.

And for this the Benedictine family must especially thank their Director Rev.Bro.Granville Perera for setting in motion the wheels for the much needed swimming pool.

In his endeavour, he had the backing of a loyal committee of Old Bens, who joined in the swim of things and immediately got working. The site selected was the old basketball court, just opposite boarding.

Talking of the old basketball court brings to mind that that it was this court that produced some dazzling cager players in Cosmas Perera who went on to become the first Benedictine to lead the national team.

It also gave to the college and country Sri Lanka’s one and only best shooter in Asia Percy Perera. They were the products of Ram Suntheralingam who had no peer as a coach then.

The swimming pool which is receiving its finishing touches, when completed will look a picture and will be able to hold its own against the best.

The committee has done right in naming it in honour of Bro.Granville Perera whose brainchild it was.

St.Benedict’s College have produced some of the finest cricketers, footballers, hockey players, gymnasts and basketball players. Once the Bens take the plunge, champion swimmers are sure to emerge.

The Bens at the moment lack a tennis court. Bro.Granville who has the knack of doing things is sure to find the space to lay out a tennis court.

The Bens produced a national champion in Lasantha Fernando who sadly passed away a few weeks ago.

What Bro.Director and the hard working committee lacks are funds. It is hoped that all Bens will contribute lavishly to these worthy causes that have been set in motion.