ST JAMES, Jamaica – The St James Municipal Corporation (STJMC) is spending $7 million on the rehabilitation of the football field at the Catherine Hall Multi-Purpose Stadium in Montego Bay.

The project is scheduled for completion by October of this year. This means that the stadium will not be able to accommodate football matches until close to year-end.

Acting Superintendent of Roads and Works at the STJMC, Saad Campbell said the scope of work will ensure that in the end, the playing field at the stadium will be of world-class standards.

The field is being rehabilitated for the first time in the stadium’s 15 year history.

“For the first time in 15 years, we are rehabilitating the playing surface of the Catherine Hall Multi-purpose stadium. The project involves the killing of the field which means all waste and trash (dead grass) will be removed. The field will then be re-seeded (new grass seeds will be sown) with competition grade sports grass seeds-take the grass through a germination process, rehabilitate the sprinkler system and ultimately bring the playing surface back to an international standard,” he said.

“All (old) grass and vegetation will be removed from the playing surface and after the field is properly sanitized, then new sports grass seeds will be sown and allowed to germinate and eventually cover the entire field,” Campbell added.

He noted that the 12-week project, which started some 4 weeks ago, is progressing well despite minor delays due to the care being exercised in ensuring that all vegetation was 100 per cent removed so that when new grass is planted, there will be no unwanted weeds and other grass being grown.

In June, minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange disclosed that the ministry is looking to assume responsibility for the maintenance of the Sports Complex.

Grange noted that the STJMC, which currently has oversight of the complex, has had challenges in maintaining the facility.

“We are making arrangements to rebuild the track, to renovate the facilities, but it has to be accompanied with some kind of Memorandum of Understanding that we will have responsibility for its maintenance,” she said.

READ: Sport Ministry looking to take over maintenance of Catherine Hall Sports Complex – Grange

However, deputy mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon is giving the assurance that no efforts will be spared in ensuring that the work is done properly and that in the end, the playing field at the stadium meets the highest international standards.

“The rehabilitation of the playing surface at the Catherine Hall Multi-purpose Stadium is a clear indication that the St James Municipal Corporation is serious about sports development in the city of Montego Bay and that is why we have taken this approach towards the rehabilitation of the playing surface at the facility. This (rehabilitation of the field) has not been done in 15 years and it (the project) is a very invasive type of restoration,” he said.

Vernon also noted that when completed, the Catherine Hall Multi-purpose Stadium will have a playing field which matches international standards, making the facility marketable for the hosting of top-class football matches, including games with the national teams (Reggae Girlz and Reggae Boyz), Jamaica Premier League and other international matches.

He pointed out that steps are being put in place that going forward that an ongoing maintenance, monitoring and control programme is established not just for the playing field, but for the entire Catherine Hall Multi-purpose stadium to prevent over-usage and or abuse of the facility.