LETTER: High school track needs to be replaced

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The track at the high school was installed in 1970. At that time, many of the school districts in Washington were replacing their old cinder tracks with all-weather surfaces. Vashon decided to go a low-budget route and surface the oval with a product called cintrex. It was supposed to mimic the quality of the old cinder tracks, but perhaps be a little cleaner. This was the first real track for Vashon High School, and we were thrilled to get it.

The track didn’t come without problems. It proved to be very high maintenance. It took hundreds of man hours each spring to condition it to a point that we could safely and efficiently host a track meet. It has severe drainage problems, and often the two or three inside lanes are not usable (submerged in water and/or slippery.) When wet, the cintrex material sticks to shoes and clothing and is tracked into the locker rooms, the gym and other classrooms.

Through the last 30 years, most of the schools in the state have installed new all-weather tracks. Gradually our opponents began to withhold their athletes from competing in certain events at Vashon. Several years ago, the Nisqually League refused to schedule any meets on the Vashon track.

Track and field is a safe, clean activity that can serve a large number of boys and girls at the high school and at the middle school. Other users of the track would include most of the other sports teams, district-wide P.E. classes, summer programs for all ages and adult walkers and joggers. Our Vashon community deserves a facility like this. I strongly urge you to vote “yes” to build the track and to finance the other district- wide upgrades and improvements.

— Russ Brazill, Vashon High School Track Coach 1970-2002