Ada gym repair project moving forward

The Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium will soon undergo a facelift as an invitation for bids for the repairs and renovation of the facility has been out. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Good news for users of the battered Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium: An invitation for bids for the repairs and renovation works at the facility has been released early this month.

“The project is moving forward with the release of the invitation for bids. We’re very happy about this latest development,” said Tony Rogolifoi, executive director of Northern Marianas Sports Association, which oversees the operation and maintenance of the Ada gym and other facilities at the Oleai Sports Complex.

The Office of the Secretary of Public Works released the invitation for bids on Aug. 1 and 8, while a mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled this Monday. Bids from local companies have to be turned in no later than 10am on Sept. 7, 2016, while off-island firms must submit the notice of intent to bid via facsimile or email on the same date and the actual bid documents by Sept. 16, 2016. The winning bid will be given 180 days to complete the project.

“The Ada gym will undergo a total facelift. We will have a ‘new’ gym,” Rogolifoi said.

Roofing and ventilation of the facility will be replaced. The old flooring will be removed in place of a new one (same materials), while all walls will be painted. New electric system will be installed.

“No more flooding at the gym. The bleachers will stay, but we will have a new scoreboard and PA system,” Rogolifoi added.

Funds for the repair works will come from the $488,556 that NMSA got as a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and was obligated on Dec. 10, 2015 or more than four months after Typhoon Soudelor struck Saipan and damaged the facilities at the sports complex.

The remaining funds will be used for repairs and improvement of other sports facilities.

“We will work on the repairs of the Ada gym first before proceeding with our project for the baseball and softball fields,” said Rogolifoi, who is also coordinating the resurfacing of the track and field facility.

“The complex will be very busy when the repair works start so we are asking the public to cooperate as we will all benefit from these projects when they are done,” the NMSA official added.

Right now, only one league is being played at the Ada gym and the Gen Cup is on the final stages of its competition. The league’s youth division will have its championship game this Saturday, while the adults category will play the semifinal matches tonight. The oval at the track and field facility, on the other hand, hasn’t been used for competitions and only caters to joggers, while the pitch is being used for soccer practices and frisbee matches.