BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II
The official ground-breaking ceremony for the 2023 Pacific Games National Stadium project was marked as history in the making for Solomon Islands together with its bilateral partners as construction work is set to commence.
Prime Minister, who is the Minister for the 2023 Pacific Games Manasseh Sogavare has expressed his gratitude as the country takes a step further towards hosting the major regional sporting event – for the first time.
PM Sogavare said after formally establishing diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the exchange of notes, and discussions the initial support from PRC has commenced.
“It is one of the largest infrastructure projects, funded and built by the People’s Republic of China in any of PRC’s partner Pacific Island countries,” Sogavare said.
The national stadium will consist of seven sporting infrastructures;
1 – A 10,000-seat national stadium which includes 1,000 VIP seats,
2- An Aquatic centre hosting a 50-meter competition pool, and a 25-meter training pool,
3- A six-court tennis centre
4 – A full-sized training track and field with a full-sized soccer/ rugby field
5 – A 90 meters by 50 meters multi-purpose hall
6 – A 5-aside competition hockey field
7 – A double story food court and office space building for the Games Organising Committee
“The facilities will focus our energy as a nation to provide sustainable venues to be used for grass root sports, high performance sports, and community events for the next several decades,” PM Sogavare said.
“Four key principles underpin the detailed attention paid to the design stage of all facilities for the 2023 Pacific Games. These four principles are:
All facilities must be multi-purpose. Each facility can be used for multiple sports, and community activities. Even the pool complex was designed to be multipurpose. It can convert to family pool as well as a competition pool.
All facilities must be high-quality, low maintenance and sustainable. Quality materials and construction standards, solar power generation, water retention, and green areas are incorporated throughout the PG2023 complexes.
All facilities are accessible to all users, especially citizens with physical disabilities. The facilities belong to all Solomon Islanders. Disability would not be a barrier.
All facilities are multi-use. The design of the facilities incorporated sports requirements, but also office and support areas to allow the National Sports Council as well as National
PM Sogavare further commends PRC and the winning construction bid company the China Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation [CCECC].
