When we started this journey over two years ago the USD #298 Track Fundraising Committee’s goal was to return the track to use. The cracks in the surface and liability for the district left home track meets held in Tescott, and the future of the facility looked grim, even though countless hours and thousands of dollars were spent repairing and improving the bleachers, press box, and sidewalks surrounding the track.
At the time I initially proposed a fundraising effort to repair the track it was thought a simple resurfacing would do the trick. The track surface was badly cracked and in places the synthetic rubber was barely attached to the base. At times the wind would lift pieces of the surface into the air to reveal the base below.
When initially proposed, a simple resurfacing project could be completed for less than $200,000, but a closer inspection of the track revealed deep cracks in the base that are beyond repair.
While one track builder offered a surface that could “float” on the existing base – though even he said a rebuild was the way to go - four other contractors agreed the best solution is a complete rebuild of the base with a completely new surface on top.
The life of the surface is massively reduced by the cracks in the base. Once the cracks in the base begin to crack the surface overlay the track becomes unusable, not just because coaches and administration say so, but because insurance companies won’t provide liability insurance.
The option to modify the existing oval to 400 meters from 440 yards is an additional benefit to a complete rebuild.
Early last spring the district found a contractor who could offer a temporary solution, a kind of short term repair to the track surface that has returned it to use for a couple seasons, but a number of major district maintenance issues ranging from HVAC repair to elementary school bathroom improvements to tile replacement and more have left the school system without the resources to cover any of the costs associated with the track renovation. The money is just simply not there.
A couple months ago a meeting with Sam Fisher of Fisher Tracks left committee members and administration optimistic about a rebuild project. After hearing bids from other contractors ranging from $750,000 to $1.2 million for a complete rebuild project, Fisher’s proposal of a complete rebuild for $500,000, along with an exceptional track record (no pun intended) and great references, generated significant excitement for those of us closest to the project.
Now, we need to get the heavy lifting of major fundraising done by the end of 2023 to get Fisher Tracks scheduled to begin construction after completion of the 2024 track season.
The committee has raised $117,000 to date with several major donors considering additional significant contributions. With just a little over $20,000 more the committee will receive a $40,000 injection of ARPA funds from the Lincoln County Commission. The committee is more optimistic than ever that the money can be raised to complete the track rebuild.
Now, back to the question this all started with, why do we need a new track anyway? There are a number of reasons including community use, economic development, youth opportunities and more. The first and most obvious reason is use in conjunction with youth athletics. Not just junior high and high school track, but physical education classes in both buildings, junior high and high school cross country and football practices, and college athletes home for the summer can all utilize the track. Frankly, every athletic program can use the track as a tool for conditioning and testing.
The synthetic rubber surface is safe for joints and ligaments. It provides an easy tool to measure off distances for conditioning, testing, and physical therapy for injury recovery. It also provides a centralized competition surface for a minimum of two meets a year, but could be expanded to host youth, league, and regional meets.
Equally as important, a high quality competitive track surface provides a place for young athletes to develop and potentially earn college athletic scholarships. Aubry Donley, Jaycee Vath, CJ Wilson, James Farris, and Mindy (Lyne) Pickering are just a few of a lengthy list of athletes who used track to earn opportunities to compete and get an education in college.
Second, the track is a primary public fitness facility. Prior to Kelly Gourley opening Post Rock Fitness several months back USD #298 athletic facilities, including the track, provided the majority of the public fitness opportunties in Lincoln. But the track remains an important facility for use by local walkers and runners. Not only can Lincoln area residents take advantage of the safety features the surface offers it also provides a safe place to walk away from city streets or uneven and cracked sidewalks, without the threat of interference from local stray or unwatched animals, and with nearby parking.
Third, the track is an excellent economic development tool, and if the district can entice more meets to the facility, it could mean thousands of dollars of annual revenue to local businesses and fundraising concession stands. The recently completed junior high meet welcomed hundreds of vehicles into Lincoln with representation from at least a dozen counties in central Kansas. Few other events in Lincoln bring that many people into town.
Further, the track and football field serve as a kind of front door to our community, and in a time where school choice and student transfers are more prevalent than ever a wide variety of extracurricular offerings with quality facilities help to attract students to districts.
Finally, Lincoln needs to continue to find ways to retain and maintain important facilities. The track is just another local asset, that if we let go, we’ll likely never get it back.
