Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE UNFINISHED Catherine Hall Stadium in Montego Bay, which will host next weekend's 29th Milo Western Relays, should be completed and ready to host both international football and athletics by February next year.
Speaking at Wednesday's launch of the Milo Relays in Montego Bay, the Urban Development Corporation's (UDC) senior projects manager, Trevor Heaven, said work on the new stadium would recommence immediately at the conclusion of the 59-day 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.
"The erection of the permanent seating and the other facilities will start immediately after the conclusion of the World Cup (ICC Cricket)," said Heaven. "We are expected that the stadium will be completed or near completion in time for next year's Milo Western Relays."
In explaining why the stadium was not being worked on at this time, Heaven said that at the instruction of the Office of the Prime Minister, the facility had been temporarily assigned to football to facilitate Wray and Nephew National Premeir League (NPL) teams Wadadah and Seba, who have been dislocated because Jarrett Park is being prepared to host ICC World Cup warm-up cricket matches.
"The temporary stands we erected are to help the teams meet the seating required for Wray and Nephew NPL games," said Heaven. "These stands will be removed once the teams return to Jarrett Park to make way for the completion of the facility."
In explaining the long-term vision for the stadium, Heaven said it will be central to the nation's bid to promote sports tourism and as a consequence, he was envisaging that once completed, the venue will stage a number of top-flight international events.
High-quality lighting
"In addition to the track and football field, which are already in place, on completion the venue will have netball and basketball facilities, as well as high-quality lighting," said Heaven. "This should be a very active venue and will definitely not be a white elephant."
Already Milo, the brand sponsor of the relays, has issued a challenge to the organisers of the annual one-day championship to consider expanding the event into a four-day event with an international flavour.
"We are ready to support a four-day championship as, based on the current impact the event is now making, we believe it has the potential to be a major international (meet)," said Milo executive Kenneth Dodd. "We believe it can happen and we will be doing our part to ensure that it happens."
The Milo Western Relays, which will be staged on Saturday, February 10, are in their fourth year at the Catherine Hall venue.
