The Wildey Gymnasium in Barbados
The Wildey Gymnasium is Barbados’ premier indoor sports facility and the focal point of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, which is named after Barbados’ most famous sports man, cricket giant Sir Garfield Sobers.
It’s located five miles outside of Bridgetown and is the first phase in the government’s plans for a multi-purpose sports facility in the surrounding area.
The Wildey Gymnasium was built with the assistance of the Chinese government and was opened in November 1992. It is fully air-conditioned, seats up to 5,000 and is available for most indoor sports. It has facilities for basketball, netball, volleyball, table tennis, gymnastics, bodybuilding, boxing and badminton.
National sports organisations in Barbados have used the Gymnasium to host a number of regional and international tournaments over the years. The Barbados Volleyball Association in particular has been able to draw large crowds to the facility for its various championships.
The Caribbean Volleyball Championships have been held at the Gym more than once and on every occasion there was standing room only for the finals.
The Barbados Amateur Basketball Association has also used the Wildey Gymnasium to host the Caribbean championships.
Several overseas sports teams have also been hosted at the Gym and they include the world famous Harlem Globe Trotters from the USA. Management of the Gym is under Gymnasium Ltd., a private company in which Government is the sole shareholder.
Part of its mandate is to play a major role in this country’s sports tourism programme. The Wildey Gymnasium can boast of having the distinction of being part of a very unusual event.
Barbados being a tropical country most people would not think of this country hosting ice-skating. The Wildey facility can boast of doing just that!
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