Recently nine holes of the new Viveiro Golf Course opened on the island of Sal. This is the first grass golf course on the island. Grass is something of a rarity in Cape Verde so to have a grass course is exciting for golfers and probably a novelty for locals. Although this is only nine hole course so far, a total of three courses and therefore 27 holes is planned. The development will ultimately include a club house, hotel, leisure facilities and residential areas.
It is extraordinary to see large areas of grass on a desert island. The developers have said that they have found a variety of grass that can be watered with a mixture of sea water and recycled water. Water a is a precious commodity in Cape Verde, so this appears to be a good way of overcoming the problem of irrigation.
Another project has been announced that will also include a golf course. This time on the island of São Vicente. ‘Riviera Mindelo’ represents an investment of 1.2 billion Euros and has been approved by the Council of Ministers. It will be the largest investment in the archipelago so far. It will include sports facilities along with the golf course. The course will be registered with the Professional Golfers Association (PGA). The scheme is hoped to provide between 7,000 and 10,000 jobs and will cover an area of 3.5 million square metres near Mindelo. It is estimated that the first phase will take three years to construct, which will include basic infrastructure.
The second phase will include the sports facilities including an internal marina for 300 boats, together with a modern health centre. This phase is expected to take a further 2.5 years after completion of phase one. The third phase will include a 30 storey business and finance centre, hotels and high quality apartments and will take a further 6 years.
It is understood that the intention is to use renewable energies for this development. In addition, a modern sewage treatment works will be included to treat waste water. This will serve the whole of Mindelo. There will be enough treated water to irrigate an area of between 800 and 1,000 hectares.
[17 Dec 2021]
