Soon On 1969

Work To Begin

Games Site

Preparations for the Third louth Pacific Games, to be held

n Port Moresby in 1969, are

iow well advanced, and work /ill begin soon on the laying of he running track on the Hubert Murray Reserve, which will be tie main Games venue.

CHE Reserve is an ample stretch of reclaimed land on the waterfront 2tween the commercial centre of ort Moresby and the administrative ;ntre at Konedobu. Reclamation ork has been going on there for any years.

VTr. Don Barrett, chairman of the Duth Pacific Games Council, which the governing body for the conduct F the Games, outlined the latest de dopments on Games preparations a Press conference in Port Moresby September.

“The design is now well in hand ir the main arena area, which will imprise an Olympic standard run ng track in the main stadium and warm-up track, parking area and ectator facilities,” Mr. Barrett said.

“An accurate survey for the run ng track is about to begin, as the orks committee considers that the übert Murray Reserve is now suf :iently consolidated to allow work begin.

“When the survey and design are mplete, work will begin on filling id levelling, followed by top-dress g and grassing.

Before wet season “This work will be carried out he re the onset of the next wet season December so that we will have the vantage of two wet seasons in the eparation of the ground.

“We intend to build one stand with ange rooms for the athletes. But ere will also be a number of tem irary stands of the tubular steel pe used at Davis Cup matches.

“The arena will be floodlit so that ntests can be held at night.

“The permanent and temporary mds will accommodate about 2,000 ectators, and we hope to have a mnd that will accommodate about )00 more, “Quite a lot of trees to beautify 2 site have already been planted at

,ae and at Brown’s River for trans lating.”

Mr. Barrett said that the other tain Games arena to be built was a vimming pool. This would be of •lympic standard, with eight 50-metre mes, change rooms and facilities )r electronic timing.

It would be built on a seven-acre te on the Taurama Road, five to x miles out of the main commercial mtre.

The design would include provision >r a diving pool, wading pool id picnic ground to be built in the iture.

“No money will be spent on any icilities that will not be available to ie general public after the Games,” [r. Barrett said.

“We hope to be able to go to tender i the pool late this year. The cost ill be contingent on the final de gn”

Outdoor boxing

Mr. Barrett said work would be me on other sporting facilities in irt Moresby to bring them up to ames standard. These included ugby Union and soccer grounds, and isketball, tennis, and netball courts.

“We hope to stage the boxing events itdoors,” Mr. Barrett said, “as we > not think there is likely to be a lilding in Port Moresby by 1969 in lich boxing could be staged.

“The boxing could be held in the ain Games arena or on Ela Beach jserve; but wherever it is, we feel

Mr. Barrett.

are that it will be very popular and dll draw big crowds.”

Mr. Barrett said that, generally peaking, his committee would be iming to provide better accommoda on and training facilities for the ompetitors than were provided at le last Games in Noumea, although le main arenas would not be on the lonumental scale of Noumea.

“The athletes will be accommo ated in schools and other institu ons,” Mr. Barrett said, “and we will e paying great attention to such lings as diet. We will be seeking the dvice and co-operation of officials *om the French-speaking countries n the diet question.

“We also aim to provide a good iterpreter service. We already have nucleus of five Port Moresby people 'ho are either of French birth or escent and who are fluent French Deakers; and we will invite the par cipation of the French-speaking ountries.

“We think our training facilities ill be quite fantastic. The Army has greed to place all of its facilities— vimming pool, basketball courts, in oor gymnasiums and other sporting renas at our disposal; and various sorting bodies have made similar ffers.

“As far as officials are concerned, r e will also seek assistance from ther countries. We already have )me offers from Australia on this :ore.”