Rogolifoi hopes shorter period for track resurfacing

Northern Marianas Sports Association executive director Tony Rogolifoi is hoping the project of replacing the rubber surface of the Oleai track oval would be completed in a shorter period so that CNMI athletes could again use the facility for training.

Barring further delays, the resurfacing of the Oleai track oval will start either in December or January next year. Bob Jones will supervise the resurfacing as project manager. (Jon Perez)

NMSA is looking forward that the project would start either in December or January so that it would be done by April 2016.

“Once we get the green light to start the project, we will be closing the entire facility. Right now there are still people who run or walk at the oval. We’re expecting the whole process to be done quickly,” said Rogolifoi.

“We’re going to let the contractor do everything they can to complete the project. And since it will only be replacing the surface, we expect it to be done in a shorter period.”

The entire bidding process and resurfacing is expected to last 120 days, granted that there won’t be further delays—like rain or typhoons—on the project.

Bob Jones is the project manager assigned to oversee the entire process and he had already inspected the rubber surface last September or more than a month after Typhoon Soudelor battered Saipan.

“Bob is an expert in supervising this kind of project. He has years of experience in dealing with track oval repairs and resurfacing,” Rogolifoi said.

He added that Jones also suggested to retain the pink color of the rubber surface and not blue as earlier planned by NMSA officials.

“Bob suggested that we keep the pinkish hue of the track surface. He is not in favor of using the color blue. It would really be nice if the track surface is blue in color, it would be just like the CNMI flag. But he is the expert,” said Rogolifoi.

The project, which was originally planned to finish in the middle of this year, had already encountered delays. It was again postponed after the entire track facility suffered damage after several typhoons passed through Saipan.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had already inspected the entire Oleai Sports Complex, including the track facility.

NMSA would receive a federal grant from FEMA to repair the damage and conduct other renovation and improvement.

The Northern Marianas Housing Corp. is funding the Oleai track facility’s resurfacing project through a Community Development Block Grant.

Resurfacing is needed on the track after bubbles and black patches formed around the facility.

NMSA is the sub recipient of $965,000 where 80 percent of the amount is allocated for resurfacing and 20 percent—or $193,000—will be allotted for administrative work.