Hawke's Bay's only all-weather athletics track is back in use after what park trust manager Jock Mackintosh says was minor turf damage that was so easy to fix he could do it by himself.
But it will take more to reinstate the William Nelson Athletics Precinct at the Regional Sports Park in Hastings, although he says much of the work needed would have been part of seasonal surface maintenance.
It had been unavailable for athletics for more than three weeks, because of the February 23-26 Te Matatini national kapa haka festival, which had attendances over four days totalling more than 50,000 and which was the biggest event at the park since it opened in 2010, and one of the biggest sports or cultural events ever held in Hastings.
The track was ready in time for athletics meetings this week, including the East Coast North Island secondary schools track and field championships on Wednesday and yesterday's St John's College sports, and a busy programme continues next week with more school sports and Hastings Athletics Club events.
Mr Mackintosh said the park had needed to be available for athletics up to February 12, when a little more time was wanted for pre-festival site preparation. Much of the damage to the infield was a consequence of wet weather which left little leeway in the short period available to set-up the park for the festival.