Refurbishment of Footes Lane to get it ready for 2021 Games
FOOTES Lane is set to undergo refurbishment later this year ahead of the 2021 Island Games.
Work is forecast to cost less than £2m., including addressing a corroding roof, leaks and damage to the external walls of the Garenne Stand.
The 400-metre six-lane synthetic athletics track will be replaced, as well as the associated drainage and athletic facilities.
The work will be completed by the end of summer 2019 to allow competitors the ability to train.
A spokesperson from Education, Sport & Culture said a pre-qualification questionnaire has been issued for a specialist consultancy service to help the committee confirm costings, specifications and the project timetable.
The facility currently has a total capacity of 5,000 and 800 seats in the Garenne Stand with a lift, Rugby Club bar and disabled access as some of its features.
‘Footes Lane is the location for the only synthetic athletics track in the island and requires significant investment in order to remain “fit for purpose” and accredited by UK Athletics,’ the pre-qualification questionnaire said.
‘It will be at its “end of life” in 2021, and therefore it would be desirable to replace the track prior to this date.’
It said the track currently has a UK Athletics Class B Certificate, as there is no pole vault, which is valid until 18 February 2019.
‘It is recommended a new track, which is an international standard synthetic track with a competition licence, to be laid in time for the 2021 Island Games, in which case work will need to be completed in the summer of 2019 to assure island competitors have facilities to train upon.’
The Garenne Stand, which will be potentially one of the primary venues for the Games, is now 14 years old.
The document said it required some important investment to maintain its structural integrity.
In particular, the corroding roof, leaks and damage to the external walls needed to be addressed.
‘Increased accessibility for disabled users in the stand as well as improvements to parking are also a desirable addition to the scheme,’ it added.
The contract for the works is likely to begin in the second quarter of this year.
The work should be completed in the third quarter in 2019.
