Stadium floodlights installed at Oleai track

Workers install the lighting fixtures on the metal pole located southeast of the Oleai track and field facility early this month. (Contributed Photo)

The lighting fixtures on the two existing metal poles at the Oleai Sports Complex’s track and field oval are now operational, providing the community a much safer and more accessible facility for sports competitions and health and wellness activities.

Carline Sablan, executive director of the Northern Marianas Sports Association, which manages the facility, said floodlights for the two existing metals poles were installed at the sports complex recently, with one located northwest and the other southeast of the track and field. A floodlight is a broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial light used to illuminate stadiums.

The lighting fixtures are similar to the ones at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. They are energy-efficient LED lights and can be operated remotely from mobile devices such as a laptop or mobile phone.

“Right now, the lights will be on from 6:45pm to 10pm daily and NMSA will make adjustments depending on the sunset schedule,” Sablan said.

The purchase and installation of the lighting fixtures at the Oleai track and field facility was made possible through a grant from the Community Development Block Grant Program under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administered by the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. The grant application was initiated by the Saipan Mayor’s Office. Sablan said two additional metal poles with the same floodlight system will be installed at the track through the Federal Emergency Management Agency-funded improvement projects

“The NMSA thanks the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. for facilitating the funding for the replacement of the lights at the Oleai Sports Complex and the Saipan Mayor’s Office for taking the first steps to gain funding for the project,” the NMSA executive director said.

Lighting fixtures on the two existing metal poles at the Oleai Sports Complex’s track and field facility are now operational. (Contributed Photo)

Sablan added that NMSA is working with the CNMI Public Assistance Office and other agencies to fast-track the remaining improvement projects at the Oleai Sports Complex to give athletes enough time to prepare for the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022.

The CNMI’s representatives in athletics, badminton, weightlifting, and baseball competitions will need to utilize the facilities at the Oleai Sports Complex to train for the Mini Games that Saipan will be hosting from June 17 to 25 next year. Golf, beach volleyball, triathlon, tennis, and va’a are the other sports included in the program for the Mini Games.

Through the more than $3-million disaster-relief grant from FEMA, NMSA said the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field, Miguel “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Softball Field, and the track oval will also undergo repairs and improvements. Air-conditioning units will also be installed at the Ada Gym, while there is a proposal to expand the grandstand at the track facility.

More and bigger improvement projects are also expected to start after next year’s Pacific Mini Games following the Economic Development Administration’s awarding of a $21.2- million grant to Commonwealth last month for the CNMI Sports and Cultural Tourism Enhancement Project. (PR)