Teufaiva Stadium in sad state [1]
Thursday, January 14, 2016 - 20:40. Updated on Thursday, March 23, 2017 - 11:42.
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Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku'alofa, currently in a very poor condition, is scheduled for a $24 million pa'anga reconstruction project in preparation for Tonga's hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games.
The final of the Lavengamalie Rugby Cup Tournament 2015-2016 at Teufaiva on Saturday, 9 January, was the last major sports event to be held at the stadium and until it is renovated, Tonga will be without a national stadium.
Takitoa Taumoepeau, the Secretary General of Tonga’s Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) and a member of the 2019 Pacific Games Organizing Committee, told Matangi Tonga on 13 January that a New Zealand based company, Creative Spaces had been approved as the project management for the upgrading of the Teufaiva Stadium.
Takitoa said hoped the reconstruction work would start within two months. Meanwhile, they are awaiting confirmation from government over financing before they can proceed to appoint a construction company.
He said that upgrading Teufaiva Stadium, to include a new playing field, a new turf, new athletics track to accommodate eight lanes, and renovation of the grandstand to meet international standards, was estimated to cost $24 million pa'anga.
Takitoa said that the New Zealand government had donated $3 million pa'anga and while the Tongan government had allocated some funds “but progress is being held back”.
He said that the upgrade was expected to take about 17 months so if they started soon it should be completed sometime in 2017. “We should then be able to open and test the facilities before 2019.”
An upgrade of Teufaiva Stadium, Tonga’s prime sports venue is a must for Tonga, in order to hold any major sports event of any recognized international standard, be it rugby or track and field.
The Lavengamalie Rugby Cup Tournament 2015-2016 was the most successful since the competition began in 2000, but was played when Teufaiva was in a sad state of affairs. The tournament was attended by thousands of people over a few weeks during December 2015 and January 2016. The only things that were working was the collection of the entrance fees at the gate and the concrete seating on the stadium. The changing rooms and the toilets are in a foul state. The stadium was packed day in and day out during the tournament.
As they said – It could only happen in Tonga.