North Sound, Virgin Gorda residents deserve a place to gather together, and if all goes according to plan, they soon will have one, Premier Ralph O’Neal said yesterday.

During a ceremony at the Central Administration Building, Mr. O’Neal signed a contract for about $630,000 with Deric Leonard Construction Ltd. to build a community centre there.

Mr. Leonard said the work should start next week. The planned centre is based on a 2002 concept, said Petrona Davies, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development. Ms. Davies said the original plan was to construct the centre in stages by awarding petty contracts, but that plan was discarded on the advice of project designers.

Mr. Leonard’s company already has completed the excavation and foundation for the centre under a petty contract.

See the May 26, 2011 edition for full coverage.