KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Resurfacing of the athletics track at the National Stadium was set to commence yesterday.
Government and stadium officials were on hand at the stadium to welcome the arrival of the cargo containers containing the materials for the work on Monday, and promised that the project would be completed one week ahead of schedule.
“Things are now heading in the right direction, even though I was always confident that it would work out,” Minister of Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange. “Sure we had some challenges, but I was positive that the team that was at work would find a way to make it happen.”
She added: “We should be able to complete it in time, even though we must bear in mind that acts of God, over which we have no control, may affect our efforts.
“Nonetheless, we will be satisfied that we have tried our best.”
It’s now a race against time to have the work completed, after a delay due to the cargo containers being detained in Germany because of inclement weather. The crew working on the project is expected to work around the clock to meet a deadline of February 25, one day before the scheduled date for the annual Gibson Relays. “With the blessings of God, we will be able to make that deadline, and the track will be ready for the Gibson Relays, whenever they decide on the date,” said Grange. Officers of the company contracted to do the work have promised however, that the track should be fully laid by February 19.“The timeline looks ok now, if the weather holds; and that’s what we are hoping, we will be finished by the end of February,” said Peter Breuer, a director at BSW Regupol.
“Instead of one crew, we are going to work simultaneously with two crews. It’s not normally done, but because of the extremely short time that we have, we have no choice.”
He said: “Everybody is aware of the timelines, and by all means, we intend to meet it.
“I know that there is a really big event on February 26, and we are planning on having the track ready, line-marked, IAAF Class-1 tested, surveyed, and all of that by February 25.”
The new synthetic track, which will be built to International Association of Athletic Federations Class-1 specifications, will sport a blue colour.
