Construction works at the Olympic Development Centre in Fortaleza surpass 90% completion

After having the first stage of the project delivered in December 2014, the Olympic Development Centre (CFO) in Fortaleza (capital city of the state of Ceará, Brazil's northeast region) is almost finished. Located in front of the Castelão Arena, stage of six 2014 World Cup matches and interconnected to the stadium through a walkway, the venue will host the national stage of the School Youth Games (12 to 14 year olds).

"Today, around 91% of the construction works have been finished. We are working on the finishing and putting up the air conditioning. Then, we'll conclude the main gym's floors, assemble the retractable seats and finishing on the boxes, rooms, as well as the electricity and hydraulics", states the project's engineer and superintendent Waldermar Biselli.

Part of the centre's facilities have been finished, like the lodgings, with capacity for 248 athletes, a skateboarding track (open to the population already), swimming and diving pools, athletics track and the gym, used by sports such as judo, table tennis, weight lifting, boxing, fencing, artistic gymnastics, basketball and futsal. In all, the structure will provide facilities for training and competition for 26 Olympic sports, as well as skateboarding, karate and futsal.

"The CFO will completely change the reality of sport in the state of Ceará and the northeast", says the Ceará Sport Secretary Jeová Mota. According to him, projects for developing athletes at the venue are being put in place. In addition, the centre will also be used by vocational schools in the capacity-building of new coaches.

Acclimation

The centre is expected to be an important nucleus during the acclimation period for the 2016 Olympic Games. "We have already hosted a Japanese and a Brazilian delegation, who are assessing the possibility of preparing here for the Olympics. In August, Japan should formalise the request", says the secretary. "We're also informing several countries that are coming to the Games and need a climate like ours during their winter season", he added. Mota is also hoping that the Olympic torch passes through the CFO on route to the Maracanã.

Construction works

With around 130 thousand square metres of built-up area, the Olympic Development Centre is part of the National Training Network and is one of the main legacies for the northeast region, as a result of the staging of the 2016 Games. The project is fruit of a partnership between the Ceará state administration and Brazil's federal government through the Brazil Medals Plan. The federal government is investing R$ 207 million, while the Ceará state government is investing R$ 19.8 million. There is an extra R$ 19 million from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and R$ 3 million from the state for the air conditioning system.
The venue has a pitch, athletics track, Olympic pool, diving pool, skateboarding track, tennis and volleyball courts, as well as a gym, cafeteria, lodgings, a building with training rooms for several sports, a main air conditioned gym, able to cater for up to 21 thousand people, as well as ring with snack bars.

Construction works started in August 2013 and the structure caters for athletics, swimming, badminton, synchronised swimming, basketball, modern pentathlon, boxing, rugby, cycling, tennis, handball, taekwondo, fencing, table tennis, football, archery, gymnastics, triathlon, weight lifting, volleyball, hockey, beach volleyball, judo, water polo, wresting, diving, futsal and karate.

"All pieces of equipment will be certified by the different sports national confederations and international federations", explains Waldemar Biselli, adding that the CFO pool is of the Myrtha model, Italian made and used in the London Olympic Games, as it is considered the most modern in the world.

LEED certificate

The Olympic Development Centre is striving to be awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate. Therefore, it has adopted some sustainable and environmentally friendly models, like covering the building site so that the dust and sediments are not carried to the streets. Next to the main building, there is a 628 m³ tank to collect rainwater, which will be used for watering the landscape and toilets, representing 50% in water related savings.

Other actions focus on energy consumption, which will be reduced in at least 10% per year by using greener lighting and air conditioning equipment, able to be programmed and run on automatic, plus, solar panels will be installed. Organic material from the ground is being reused in green areas.

Ana Cláudia Felizola – brasil2016.gov.br