Noumea Games

Site Fixed For Noumea Games In 1966

After studying at least three proposals, New Caledonia’s

Territorial Assembly has decided

that Magenta Beach, just outside

Noumea, will be the venue for the Second South Pacific Games in 1966.

THE authorities will take over an uncompleted sports ground from the Olympique Sports Club at Magenta Beach for 20 million francs (£100,000), and will spend another 30 million francs to complete it.

The original idea was to reclaim land and build a sports stadium at Montravel on the outskirts of Noumea. But this was rejected on the grounds that the project could not be finished in time and that it was undesirable to build a stadium in an industrial area, especially in the vicinity of the municipal rubbish dump.

The local government will also spend 33 million francs on the con struction of a Maison des Sports in the centre of Noumea. This will have a playing area measuring 44 x 24 metres, plus dressing rooms and gymnasium facilities. There will be spectator accommodation for 1,400 people—l,2oo seated.

The Magenta stadium will seat some 3,500 people, with 3,000 stand ing. The playing area will contain

a football field 109 x 67 metres, and a Rugby field 118 x 66 metres.

The Rugby field will be surrounded by an athletics track. A smaller football field will have a cycle rac ing track surrounding it.

Government Aid Little difficulty is expected in rais ing the £415,000 needed to carry out the Games projects, as the French Government has already agreed to contribute £160,000, and it is hoped that more will come from the same source.

Aquatic events will be held in an Olympic pool to be built by the Municipal Council of Noumea on a site near Anse Vata, the local beach.

Two smaller pools are to be built nearby.

The area chosen is up from the beach in a wooded part of the coast.

This area will be developed as a natural park.

The pools will normally be filled with salt water, but it will also be possible to use fresh water.

The authorities propose to hold a French exposition during the Games.

The Metropolitan Government is to be asked to arrange conferences and to organise exhibitions of French goods, etc.

Noumea, New Caledonia, where the Second South Pacific Games will be held (the inaugural Games were in Suva last year) is one of the bigger centres of the South Seas, and stands on one of the prettiest harbours. Population is about 35,000 (compared with about 44,000 in Suva). Like all major South Pacific towns it is expanding rapidly.

This view, by Fred Dunn, is from one of the hills looking towards the harbour.