The Dededo basketball court before improvements May 17, 2022.

Officials break ground for a new gym in Dededo May 17, 2022.

The Dededo basketball court before improvements May 17, 2022.

Officials break ground for a new gym in Dededo May 17, 2022.

The $1 million Dededo Outdoor Gym project was launched Tuesday with a groundbreaking of the new facility.

“Dededo is one of the bigger villages with a diverse community, so we know this project will give our people, most especially our youths, more opportunities to focus on their health, fitness and overall well-being. We share in your excitement and hope our community takes pride and ownership of this new gym,” said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.

A new steel gym will be built over the existing basketball court, similar to the open-air gym concept in other villages.

“I am excited for the basketball court conversion to an outdoor gym facility,” said Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares. “This will definitely allow players to use the facility during inclement weather.”

The project will feature resurfacing and re-striping of the court, installation of a new fence, new retractable basketball backstops, electronic scoreboard, new restrooms, new bleachers, installation of new rims and flood mitigation.

The gym is funded by a U.S. Department of the Interior grant.

The basketball court was first constructed in the 1960s and the tennis court was added in the 1980s. The courts are used for practices and scrimmage games for youths and manåmko’, Zumba sessions, aerobics and physical education classes.

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