Trenton High School hits the track

By Linda Horn

TRENTON, ON (06/07/2011) Duncan Armstrong Physical Education teacher and coach at Trenton High School stands at the finish line at the schools track. The school started Trackfest May 2010 in replace the depilated track. Kraft Celebrations tours has selected the project as one of their 20 semi finalists. Kraft offers $25,000 to the top 10 finalists. Photo by Linda Horn

Trenton High School’s quest for a new track has gained national attention.

After going though submissions from all over Canada, Kraft Canada, has selected Trenton High School’s bid to resurface its track as one of the 20 semi-finalists for its Kraft Celebration Tour.

Each community is matched up with another community and the public votes online to decide which of the two will win one of the final 10 prizes. The 10 winning communities will receive $25,000 each for their project.

Trenton is against Wallaceburg which is hoping to build an outdoor lacrosse floor.

Voting is a done online at www.kraftcelebrationtour.ca. People can vote as much as the want but only during the 24-hour period assigned to the community match up.

The Trenton- Wallaceburg match up voting will open Tuesday July 12 at noon and close Wednesday July 13 at noon.

The Trenton High School alumni started planning a new track in May 2010.  The alumni felt it was time to rejuvenate the track when they considered what kinds of recreational and sports infrastructure projects that have been going on in the area for example the new YMCA, skateboard park, splash pads, arenas, said Duncan Armstong, a former student and now physical education teacher/coach at the school.

“Our kids and our community deserve to have just a good facility as everybody else. This track is like having a hockey rink with chunks of ice out of it,” said Armstrong.

Efforts to raise enough money to fund the track project have been ongoing.

Along with the Kraft celebration tour, the school’s alumni have done other fundraising. They have received private donations, along with $150,000 from the City of Quinte West.

The school estimates the track will cost $500,000, but is now working to get a more accurate figure. Engineers are surveying and core drilling the land.

“This track will be built and operational by fall 2012,” said Armstrong.

The present track has been used since 1971 and was built thanks to the efforts of former teacher and track coach Peter Howe.  Howe held a walkathon and also received money from Wintario lottery funds.

When the track was built, it was considered high-tech.

“We could attract high quality track meets,” said Armstrong.

In 1979 Howe wanted to break a 4 x 400 team national record and wanted to hold the event in Trenton, said Armstrong.  According to regulations for a national record to be set, the race had to be run on a track with a curb. So a cement curb was built around the track.

“Putting the cement curb in spelled the death of this track,” said Armstrong.

After the curb was installed, the water could no longer escape off the track. The water then went under the track, causing it to lift.

The track is now full of cracks, potholes, and weeds. Part of the track has even been paved with cement.

“Not only is it an eyesore but it is a safety concern,” said Armstrong.

Sue Tripp, the school’s track and field coach, said students can’t train on it consistently.

“Because of the parts that have been repaved by cement it is too hard and can cause shin splints,” said Tripp. “When we have a high caliber athlete we have to drive them to Belleville to train and we can’t hold meets here.”

The track is something the whole community can use. According to Tripp it is the only measured distance track in Trenton.

Seniors and children also use the track.

Martha Levesque, a Trenton resident, wants to see a new track put in but hopes the cost doesn’t go up from the estimate once construction has started.

“I think it should be there. It is the only one in town. I would use it for walking,” said Tripp.