The Cabinet of Ministers has reportedly granted conditional approval to handover the maintenance of the Edward Henry Pedris Grounds – a multi-purpose stadium, to Isipathana College, Colombo while making it available for schools without playgrounds in the vicinity.

The decision taken by the Cabinet has been conveyed to the Ministry of Sports which is expected to inform Isipathana College accordingly. 

As per the proposal, the Edward Henry Pedris Grounds will be handed over to the Isipathana management on the condition that the venue be managed under its current name and be available for other schools sans playgrounds. 

Henceforth, the grounds will be offered to schools without playgrounds, such as St. Paul’s Milagiriya and Lumbini College, for sports activities. 

The Sports Ministry has said that the process to hand over the management of the Edward Henry Pedris Grounds to Isipathana College was initiated eight years ago, but the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) had not given it complete control.

However, the Cabinet has now approved to proceed with the handing over of the management to Isipathana College, subject to the aforesaid conditions.

The venue has been named after one of Sri Lanka’s former militia officers’ and a prominent socialite Edward Henry Pedris, whose execution for treason at the age of 26 in 1915 by the British Indian Army, hastened the movement towards independence, providing motivation and a martyr for those who pioneered the movement.

(JK)