Wesley College celebrates reopening of 127-year-old restored pavilion

From left: Pavilion Restoration Project Committee Treasurer S. Renganathan, Chief Guest old boy and former Sri Lanka cricketer L.R. ‘Lucky’ Goonetilleke, Methodist Church of Sri Lanka President Rev. Kingsley Weerasinghe, Wesley College OBU President Capt. Navin De Silva, and Pavilion Restoration Project Committee Project Chairman Ivor Maharoof

Chief Guest old boy and former Sri Lanka cricketer L.R. 'Lucky' Goonetilleke

Methodist Church of Sri Lanka President Rev. Kingsley Weerasinghe

Pavilion Restoration Project Committee Project Chairman Ivor Maharoof

Wesley College OBU President Capt. Navin De Silva

Wesley College Principal Avanka Fernando

Wesley College Colombo, a historic seat of learning in Sri Lanka with a storied past of over 150 years, celebrated its deep-rooted sporting heritage on Thursday, 12 December, with the grand re-opening of its 127-year-old restored pavilion at the college grounds (Campbell Park), Wesley’s spiritual sporting home. 

Former Wesley and Ceylon cricketer L.R. ‘Lucky’ Goonetilleke, considered one of the best left-arm fast bowlers Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) has ever produced, graced the occasion as Chief Guest.

The pavilion’s significance traces back to its acquisition by Wesley College from the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club at Campbell Park in 1940. Believed to have been built in the late 1890s with archaeological value and a history resembling an English country clubhouse, the pavilion was inaugurated on 19 January 1940 by old boy G.C.S. Corea, then Minister of Labour, Industries and Commerce. Then Vice Principal P.H. Nonis played a crucial part in procuring both Campbell Park and the pavilion.

Arguably one of the oldest pavilions amongst schools in Sri Lanka, it stood on the precipice of decay, a dire situation necessitating immediate intervention. The restoration of the grand old pavilion has been long overdue, with the aim of adding top notch modern facilities while preserving its grandeur and architectural heritage of the past to inspire future generations of sportspeople who will be walking through the hallowed premises.

The pavilion restoration project is a part of Wesley College’s 150th-year sesquicentennial celebrations and is initiated by the Old Boys’ Union (OBU) spearheaded by Capt. Navin De Silva, with meticulous supervision by the three pillars of the Pavilion Restoration Project Committee, Project Chairman Ivor Maharoof, Secretary Shehan Sheriff, and Treasurer S. Renganathan. 

Working alongside the committee are Fahad Nazir, Raveen Wijesekera, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Wickramaratne, K. Dayaparan, Gerard Fernando, William Deutrom, Wesley College Principal Avanka Fernando, L.R. ‘Lucky’ Goonetilleke, chartered architect Murad Ismail, L.C.R. Wijesinghe, licentiate architect M.F. Amith, Maj. Gen. Indu Samarakoone, Maithri Vithanage, Prefect of Games Col. Rizan Hamidon.

Methodist Church of Sri Lanka President Rev. Kingsley Weerasinghe, Principal Avanka Fernando, St. Benedict’s College Director Rev. Bro. (Dr.) Pubudu Rajapaksha, and many dignitaries attended the event. 

Former national cricketer Michael Tissera and former double international Chandra Schaffter were special invitees at the event. Wesley’s very own Ian K. Karan (Diamond Donor), Bertie Ekanaike (Old boy of St. John’s College Nugegoda, Donor), and St. Benedict’s College OBU representatives were also part of the grand celebrations.

Wesley’s senior-most cricketers from the invincible era of the 1950s, B.M.N. Jurangpathy and M.N. Samsudeen, added value to the historic project opening with their participation.

This initiative is one of the key pillars of Wesley’s sesquicentennial projects where, along with the planting of 150 trees, the Double Blue fraternity embarked on a journey to help 150 underprivileged schools deep in rural Sri Lanka as well as in the commercialised cities of the island nation.Campbell Park will see its newly built traditional scoreboard come to life in a few months.

Pix by Shehan Gunasekera