THE Barbados Turf Club (BTC) has finally clipped the wings of birds after racing fans continued to face annoyance while seated in the Grand Stand.
When the doors open tomorrow to usher in excited fans to the Caribbean’s premier horse race on the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup raceday, patrons will not have to worry about birds messing on them.
Responding to complaints, the BTC has been having the entire stand fitted with protective netting so those seated in the stand can be comfortable.
For a couple of years patrons had encountered embarrassing moments when pigeons or wood doves who made the Grand Stand roof their home or nesting place stained their clothing and hairstyles.
Up until yesterday morning workers, under the management of Morris Straker, were completing the job.
Speaking with WEEKENDSPORT as the workers pushed to meet the deadline for the BTC’s sixth day of its first season, Straker was quick to lament the dangers associated with the job using scaffolding.
“We would have started last Saturday, February 25, and have made a lot of progress with the job. It’s a very dangerous and tedious job that we should have completed by Thursday.”
The job required a one-inch netting anchored with rope and specific fittings to keep out the pigeons and wood doves.
The Grand Stand is 6 000 square feet and at least 4 000 square feet of scaffolding was used up to a height of 42 feet. (LY)
