Walvis Bay has reached a major milestone in the upgrading of its sports infrastructure with the installation of new, modern floodlights at Jan Wilken Stadium.

The new floodlights are expected to allow the coastal town to host more local, national and international sporting events, particularly during evening hours.

The project, which had been planned for some time, forms part of the Walvis Bay Municipality’s broader programme to upgrade sporting facilities across the town. Municipal representative Daniel Mouton said the new lights were not simply a matter of improving the stadium’s appearance but would create opportunities to attract major sporting events to Walvis Bay and contribute to tourism.

“With these floodlights we can bring now a lot of games locally, nationally and internationally to Walvis Bay, which will definitely assist tourism in the town,” Mouton said. The municipality is also preparing to extend the floodlight programme to other sporting facilities.

Kuisebmond is expected to be the next facility to receive similar lights, followed by facilities in Narraville.

The existing smaller floodlights at Jan Wilken Stadium will be moved to the Narraville soccer field, allowing young players to train there in the evenings. Mouton said the Narraville soccer field was also undergoing development, with the grass installation about three-quarters complete and expected to be finished between September and November.

The installation of the new floodlights at Jan Wilken Stadium marks another step in Walvis Bay’s efforts to modernise its sporting infrastructure and create better facilities for athletes, clubs and the wider community.

By Rudi Bowe