COVID-19 delayed MoBay track refurbishing – Grange
Published:Tuesday | May 25, 2021 | 12:16 AM
Sports Minister Olivia Grange is appealing to track and field stakeholders in western Jamaica for patience as she is promising that the refurbishing work on the running track at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St James will get under way this financial year.
The track, which is the only synthetic track in western Jamaica, has deteriorated over the past few years. It has been closed for almost two years for fears that continued usage of the surface could result in athletes suffering serious injuries.
The venue has been the subject of conversation for years, with the Government promising renovation a number of times. Grange previously said work was to start on the track in March last year.
“It will be done in this new financial year through the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) because this is a priority for us,” Grange told The Gleaner.
“They would recognise the setbacks because of COVID-19 and the restructuring and reduction of our budget in sports.”
Since the closure of the facility almost two years, track and field events, including the annual Milo Western Relays, and the Western Championships have shifted to other sporting venues across the country.
Grange said that the Government understands the importance of the track and once the funds have been released then the repair work will begin.
The Montego Bay Sports Complex, which was developed at a cost of US$14.9 million, was opened in June 2010.
The Government unveiled a new running track at the National Stadium in Kingston in January, ahead of the start of the athletics season this year.
When asked for further clarification on the delay to the refurbishing, SDF General Manager Denzil Wilks declined comment on the matter.