Crisis hits Tauranga's all-weather athletics track

A CRISIS point has been reached in efforts to build a $1.5 million all-weather athletics track at Tauranga's Domain.
The Millennium Track Trust has fallen $200,000 short of funds it needs to start construction of a track which top Bay coach Mike Corboy says was absolutely essential for the future of athletics.
Without it, promising young athletes would either continue to drop out or leave the Bay for cities able to offer all-weather tracks needed to achieve their full potential.
Years of setbacks by the trust have arrived at the point where the project appears doomed if the community cannot dig deep to find the last $200,000.
Trust chairman, lawyer Garth Mathieson, said construction must start by October/November to achieve completion by the start of the rugby season next March.
The Mondo Super Flex vulcanised natural rubber track would ring the domain's main rugby ground and become the first all-weather track in the Bay.
It was the key to Tauranga hosting a major regional championship or national championship every year and would be available to all Bay schools and athletic clubs and the public.
But pledges worth at least $500,000 from major community funding organisations will expire next year if construction cannot start.
Mr Mathieson has appealed for community support to raise the final $200,000. The six unpaid trustees have secured $1.215 million, with a further $85,000 virtually assured.
"We are desperate - it would be a huge pity if this project cannot proceed."
Also at risk was a bold plan to establish a Bay of Plenty Academy for Athletics centred on the new track. Young athletes would be invited into the academy, which would also offer physiotherapists, podiatrists and other sports medicine specialists, along with specialist coaches coming into the Bay for training sessions.
"The all-weather track is the open sesame to all of that," Mr Corboy said.
Academy expertise would be available to other sports where players needed to develop speed, such as rugby and soccer - with an obvious kick-back for athletics in the summer.
"There are huge possibilities to develop athletics in the Bay and get it back to being a major sport."
He contrasted this with the current situation in which there was not a single track marked out anywhere in the Bay for winter training. They were just slushy winter sports grounds.
Athletes must train all year round to reach their potential and should never be more than three to four weeks off their peak, Mr Corboy said.
Internationally ranked decathlete Brent Newdick, 22, would love to return to his hometown if it had an all-weather track.
A confidence-inspiring fifth place in a French competition featuring some top names in the world of decathlon meant he was now a real prospect to qualify for the Olympics in Beijing.
"I'd definitely be down there training on the track," the Auckland-based athlete said.
Mr Newdick said the majority of people who were good at athletics had been forced to leave the Bay: "It has certainly affected people's lives."
Tauranga Ramblers' stalwart Malcolm Taylor said 1500m runner and former 800m national champion Gareth Hyett of Wellington would move to Tauranga if it had an all-weather track.
Any person or organisation prepared to assist can contact Garth Mathieson on 575 8166.