Aging track needs replaced before 2028 B.C. Summer Games, Penticton athletic community says

The track at the current facility, located behind Penticton Secondary School, is roughly 30 years old, and clubs that use the track say its age is starting to show.

Aging track needs replaced before 2028 B.C. Summer Games, Penticton athletic community says Current track is nearly 30 years old Penticton's athletic community is hoping to for a new track and field facility before the Interior city hosts the B.C. Summer Games in 2028. The track at the current facility, located behind Penticton Secondary School, is roughly 30 years old, and clubs that use the track say its age is starting to show. “Right now as a club we spend so much time managing our athletes for injuries, specifically because the track itself is now about as a hard as cement and running on cement, as well all know, is not the best situation,” said Andrew Hall, head coach of the Penticton Track and Field Club.

Hall said the club can’t host their own tournaments at home because the track does not meet standards set out by B.C. Athletics. Holes are visible on parts of the track, and the need for a new facility is felt strongly among young athletes with the club. “This track doesn’t look good right now.

I think the measurements are off and the lines are really faded too,” said Elana De Vries. As the track is on School District 67 property, the district agreed to put $500,000 from their capital budget toward an upgrade, but officials say the cost of replacement is much higher — from $3-6 million. “We are still looking for ways on how we can fund this project," said school board chair James Palanio.

He said funding a new track would not just benefit the school, but the entire community. “The triathlon club does training on it, the Okanagan Hockey Academy, our Penticton Vees, and at any given time you will see people walking on there as a safe space to go out and walk,” Palanio added. The school board appeared before city council in the spring to request they work together as partners, but so far no funding commitments have been made.

The city told CBC News the B.C. Summer Games in Penticton is not contingent on the community getting a new track. “It is really important that we get this right because it something the community is going to use for decades to come," said Jeff Plant, manager of recreation for the City of Penticton. "Having said that if it could be done in time for the games I think a lot of people would be really happy about it."

The B.C. Summer Games did not respond to CBC’s request for an interview. Penticton is set to host the games July 19-23 2028.