Lautoka's new sports stadium may attract regional competitions [1]
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 - 20:22. Updated on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 - 20:25.
Opening a newly-renovated sports stadium at Lautoka, this week Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced that construction of a modern Olympics size swimming complex in Lautoka would begin at the end of April.
He hoped the new facilities would attract more regional competitions to be held in Lautoka.
The new stadium ground and synthetic tracks at Churchill Park opened today, when Bainimarama confirmed that the project cost FJD$5.5 million. There will be a competition pool, a warm up pool and a children's pool.
The Fiji government contributed around FJD$2.8 million and the Lautoka City Council funded the rest while Tappoos Group built corporate booths, the main entry gateway and the carpark.
Bainimarama said Lautoka is Fiji’s second city and as major manufacturing and business hub, is an important driver of Fiji’s economic growth.
Athletes in Lautoka will no longer have to run on muddy and grass tracks for their competitions at Churchill Park.
Athletes from Lautoka secondary schools will use the tracks for the first time at Churchill Park during the Lautoka Zone this Friday and Saturday.
The upgrades means that Lautoka has an international standard playing field and an IAAF standards synthetic track.