Saanich School District is looking to hire a contractor to complete a new six-lane track at Parkland Secondary School this summer.
The school board voted this week to move ahead with the second phase of the project, which involves resurfacing the track with a rubberized material. The first phase included removal of the old track and rebuilding the infield area and drainage system.
A non-rubberized surface was considered, but a rubberized surface was selected as offering better shock absorption and cushioning.
“It also acts like a springboard for runners and walkers, giving them a more pleasant experience on the track,” district secretary-treasurer Jason Reid said in a letter to Sidney and North Saanich councils, each of which has agreed to contribute $83,000 to the project.
In addition to benefiting Parkland Secondary and other students in the school district, Reid said, the track is expected to be used extensively by residents of North Saanich and Sidney, as was the case with the old track.
“Seniors in the community have commented that they appreciate a safe and level place to walk, away from the traffic.”
The plan is to complete the project this summer before the weather window closes, Reid said in a briefing note to the Saanich School Board.
The track at Parkland was installed in the 1980s and has been in need of replacement for a number of years. Drainage problems caused premature deterioration.
Attempts to raise money to replace the track have been going on for the past 10 to 15 years, with a renewed effort starting in 2017 involving the school district and the Memorial Park Society.
The school board approved $300,000 for the project in 2017, and after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a committee launched a fundraising campaign in 2020 that concluded last spring.
The campaign generated $144,906 from private donations and grants, bringing the district’s overall contribution to $444,906.
The project was also helped by an in-kind donation from Erdem Excavating, which removed and disposed of the original track at no charge.
Board chair Tim Dunford credited former Parkland principal Lizanne Chicanot with being a major proponent of getting a new track built.
Further funding of around $20,000 annually for eventual track replacement, likely to be needed within the next 15 years, has been proposed. It would cost the district, Sidney and North Saanich about $7,000 apiece each year, Dunford said.
“There will be further discussions about that.”
