ATHLETICS: Project runs behind as wet winter delays long-awaited athletics track

Northland's wet winter weather is keeping the all-weather athletics track from being completed.
The irony is not lost on the chairman of the Northland All Weather Track Trust Jim Hooper. The charitable trust has supervised the funding and construction of the track and Hooper said patience is required to see the final part  completed.
"Whangarei District Council has been fielding enquiries about what's going on - but the delays have got nothing to do with them, it's mainly down to the weather," he said.
Hooper stressed that what has been prepared at the moment is simply the base and cannot be used yet.
"The people who will lay the final stage of the track come from overseas and it's not clear as yet when they can come over and complete it," he said.
 The track was supposed to have been completed by now but the contractors have to be available and their presence in the country has to coincide with a period of three to four weeks of settled and fine weather. Needless to say, it still could be a while before the final stage of the track is completed.
But Hooper said the region's athletes have been waiting a long time see the track turn into reality - some 30 years since it was first mooted - and a few more months won't hurt.
"We're committed to the track and, once it's don,e we can move on from there," he said.
As the council would not allow the track to be located on the site of the former grass track, instead requiring that it be laid closer to Park Avenue, the existing athletics clubrooms were demolished, meaning a new building is needed to store gear, provide changing facilities and seating for spectators.
"We're in discussions with the council and other organisations about buildings to service the track but obviously it isn't going to happen in the immediate future...and trying to get money for such things these days isn't easy," Hooper said.
Along with Northland Indoor Bowls, Sport Northland and Whangarei Gymnastics, the trust had proposed to build a complex that would have serviced the track but the idea didn't receive the approval of the district council, who were committed to funding the Okara Park upgrade.
  In the meantime, Sport Northland has announced plans for a new building over the other side of Kensington Park, adjacent to the stadium.
A new building plan will have to be formulated but for now Hooper is just hoping the rain will abate and the track can finally be laid - hopefully in time for athletics season.