Expert must supervise track resurfacing

Northern Marianas Sports Association will require the winning contractor to bring in an expert construction manager once resurfacing works at the Oleai track and field facility begin early next year.

NMSA executive director Tony Rogolifoi said the construction manager must stay for the entire duration of the project to make sure that everything will be done according to the standards set by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

“The contractor must bring in an expert in this field. The person should have been approved or must have an IAAF certification to make sure everything is done correctly,” said Rogolifoi.

The expert construction manager must come either from the mainland or Europe and should be knowledgeable in overseeing a similar project that meets IAAF standards.

Rogolifoi said that they want to make sure the entire process—from removing the actual old surface to putting the adhesive and laying the new track—is done accordingly and properly.

“Ours is the only track facility that was certified and met the requirements of the IAAF. We want to keep it that way so we could host various events here on the island,” he added. “We want to make sure everything is done properly so we could use the facility longer.”

NMSA has already completed all the necessary paperwork for the project and is in the process of reviewing the amount that will be used for the renovation before submitting the documents to the Northern Mariana Housing Corp. next year. Reviews of the paper works are expected to be done by January as some NMSA officials are still off-island for the holidays and are expected to be back next month.

NMSA wants to make sure that there won’t be any discrepancy once they submitted the figures to NMHC to ensure the smooth flow of the bidding process.

Once approved by the NMHC, which will be funding the project through a Community Development Block Grant, NMSA can start with the bidding process and hopefully begin the resurfacing of the facility in March.

Rogolifoi, in an earlier report, said that NMSA would strictly monitor the expenses for the renovation of the track to stay within the budget.

Harsh weather conditions and years of continued use have caused the deterioration of the rubber surface, which are now surrounded by black patches and bubbles.

NMSA aims to open the track facility by May in time for several Northern Marianas Athletics-organized events. The new track oval, once completed, will have a light blue color not the usual pinkish-red hue.

The CNMI sports arm is looking to reopen the facility in the second quarter of 2015, as Oceania Athletics Association president Geoff Gardner earlier said that at least two months are needed to put the adhesive and lay out the new rubber surface.