Future of track in doubt

Balclutha’s Centennial Park can have a basketball court and pump track and keep a 400m running...
Balclutha’s Centennial Park can have a basketball court and pump track and keep a 400m running oval (foreground), the Athletics Club says. PHOTO: NICK BROOK
The South Otago Athletics Club may lose its track as Centennial Park runs out of room.

The club said at a Clutha District Council meeting last week it had been growing in numbers over the past few years but was now looking at no longer having a full track to train on.

Club president Veronica Paulin said the club had been in recess but was re-established in 2021 and had since grown in number to 40 athletes, mainly school children.

They trained on a Tuesday and had a full 400m marked-out track on the grass.

Veronica Paulin
Veronica Paulin
In October 2022 they had received correspondence from the Clutha Parks Trust about the layout of the park changing, with new uses for the park proposed.

The club had attempted to get in touch with the trust over concerns about the changes but nothing had been heard from them for two years.

A new pump track and basketball court on the field could lead to there not being enough room for a track, the club believes.

Mrs Paulin said a 400m track was vital for the club and it was worried about its existence should the track no longer be available

"It raises concerns about our space. We have not heard anything from the parks trust for two years and now we could be without a track," she said.

"We have nowhere else to go."

The club had started out training at South Otago High School but it was not suitable.

Sport Clutha regional co-ordinator Craig Gordon said he had been looking at a map and with some minor adjustments there should be enough room.

He said it was a fantastic sight at the park on a Tuesday night with everyone training and the club had done well to get to this point.

Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said he could understand the concerns of the club but the council was in a tough position, as the athletics club had come and gone and there was a demand on uses for the ground.

The showgrounds was not an option, as it was used by other sports.

Council chief executive Steve Hill said there had been plans to build the pump track before Christmas but that had been stopped.

He said staff were currently looking at options and would be out on the park considering other possibilities.