Jamaica’s Minister of Sports, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has officially outlined the details of the resurfacing of the National Stadium track, confirming that work will begin immediately after the Gibson-McCook Relays on Saturday, February 22, and is scheduled for completion in time for the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships from March 25-29.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, Minister Grange explained the urgency of the project, stating that a recent assessment determined that a complete resurfacing was necessary.
"Nearly 14 years ago, I had the duty and the pleasure to lead the installation and to open the new running track at the National Stadium. Over the years, we’ve had to make several repairs to maintain the track. In 2021, we undertook major resurfacing. Since then, we’ve performed maintenance work as needed, but the latest assessment has shown the urgent need to completely resurface the track," Grange said.
The project, funded by the Government of Jamaica at a cost of USD $350,000, will be executed by Rekortan, a company with 50 years of international experience in track development. Grange confirmed that materials have already been shipped to the island, and engineers are on-site conducting preparatory work.
"Thanks to the support of the Prime Minister, Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, and the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Fayval Williams, we have secured funding amounting to 350-thousand US dollars," she revealed.
The implementation will be managed by Independence Park Limited (IPL), which oversees the National Stadium, in collaboration with Grand Slam Track.
With the track unavailable during the resurfacing period, several events originally scheduled for the National Stadium will be moved to Stadium East, as confirmed by Minister Grange in an interview with Sportsmax.TV on Wednesday.
Despite concerns about the tight timeline, Grange expressed confidence in the resurfacing being completed in time for Champs and for the inaugural Grand Slam Track event set for April.
"There is an opportunity between the end of the Gibson McCook Relays on Saturday and the start of Boys and Girls Champs in March to get the job done. We’re working around the clock to put everything in place," she stated.
Minister Grange emphasized that the new track will incorporate the latest performance technology, ensuring that the venue remains at a high standard for local and international competition.
"The new track will feature the latest performance technology and will present a bold image of Jamaica to the world, starting with Champs in March and then the global Grand Slam Track event in Jamaica in April," she stated.
"There is a lot of work to do, but we’re committed to providing the best facilities for the best athletes in the world. We will work as hard as our athletes to ensure Jamaica’s success."
The Grand Slam Track event in April will be the first major international competition on the newly resurfaced track, reinforcing Jamaica’s standing as a global powerhouse in athletics.