OREANDA-NEWS. October 30, 2008.  In 2009, the Gomel oblast will assign Br38.4 billion from the national and oblast budgets for the renovation and construction of sports facilities, Vasily Zharankov, the head of the physical culture, sport and tourism department of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee said.

The funds will be assigned for the construction of big sports facilities and small gyms in agro-towns of the region. For instance, a 50-metre swimming pool and an indoor multifunctional sports centre seating 3 thousand people are expected to be constructed in Gomel soon. The new sports centre will include a universal gym, a training ground for field hockey and a three-star hotel for oarsmen.

Next year, the construction of ice centres will be launched in Gomel, Rechitsa, Rogachev, Kalinkovichi, Svetlogorsk and Mozyr. Their construction is expected to be completed in 2010. A new sports centre will be constructed in Buda-Koshelevo.

According to Vasily Zharankov, leading industrial companies of the region provide substantial help for the construction of new sports facilities in the Gomel oblast. For instance, in 2008, they allocated Br27.6 billion for this purpose. All in all, this year, the oblast budget assigned Br11.2 billion for the construction and renovation of sports facilities.