MARIGOT—The re-opening of Thelbert Carti Stadium in French Quarter was celebrated with football and rugby games all day on Saturday, October 22, with some two hundred children of different ages divided into fifteen teams taking part.
The official re-opening ceremony has been pushed back to November 11, coinciding with official St. Martin Day ceremonies in French Quarter.
The Collectivité and the French State have equally financed the stadium’s renovation work at a cost of 698,805 euros as part of the Collectivité-State Development Contract. The work took four months to accomplish.
Renovating the sports facilities of the French side was launched in 2013 by Territorial Councillor for Sports, Alain Gros-Désormeaux, and President Aline Hanson.
Thelbert Carti Stadium now has a latest generation synthetic grass playing field, changing rooms have been renovated (painting, electrical work, lighting etc) and perimeter fence rehabilitated.
The Stadium now conforms to all technical and safety standards and sports clubs and associations can enjoy a facility that is well equipped to host local and regional competitions.
Director of Sports, Youth, and Culture, Charles Henri Palvair, gave a technical presentation of the new facility before children took to the field for the games, football in the morning and rugby in the afternoon. A highlight of the afternoon was a game of rugby with female players. Many parents in the stands supported the players.
At 4:00pm, a football match between two teams of 16 to 17 years olds organised by the Technical Director of the St. Martin Football League and the National Assistant Technical Director of the French Football Federation on a visit to St. Martin, was organised to observe upcoming talent.
The day closed with a senior match between Saint Louis Stars and Junior Stars.
The Collectivité thanks all the volunteers who made the sports day a success for the children.
