‘Long live track’

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This article was published 30/09/2019 (2379 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Dakota Collegiate runners from different generations ushered in a new era for athletes in southeast Winnipeg recently.

On Sept. 27, the City of Winnipeg and Louis Riel School Division officially opened a new 400-metre, four-lane, rubberized outdoor running track at Victor Mager School. According to a news release, it’s the first new rubberized 400-metre rubberized track in Winnipeg since the Pan Am Games in 1967.

Noting the new track will benefit both competitive and recreational runners, Coun. Brian Mayes, an avid distance runner himself, has been an integral figure in the creation of the track. Having been a runner for more than 40 years, Mayes said he was “extremely proud” to open the new facility in St. Vital.

The track was officially opened at an event on Sept. 27, but there was an informal opening on Sept. 26 at the same time as Dakota Collegiate was holding its Homecoming Games event across the street, when Mayes was joined by a number of runners who have represented Dakota through the generations to try out the track.

“The track was first conceived as part of the Dakota Collegiate field project. However, when it came time to build the field in 2017 there was no room to fit the track within the budget,” Mayes said.

“However, in mid-2017 we realized a four-lane track could fit at Victor Mager. The 2018 city budget allocated $500,000, and I added $300,000 from St. Vital ward funds,” Mayes said.

Mayes said the fact the track is rubberized is one way of making it more up-to-date and accessible to a larger number of users.     

 
“It makes for a modern track, one that people of all skill levels can use, including wheelchair athletes. Dirt tracks get rutted and get weeds — this track should hold up for many years.

“The project will help runners at all levels. I read a while back that ‘track is dead.’ It reminded me of The Who song Long Live Rock, which includes the line ‘Rock is dead they say…’ and then Roger Daltrey comes in screaming ‘Long live rock.’  So, when we open the track I will say ‘Long live track,’ and do some running myself.”

According to the release, the new running track at Victor Mager School complements recent improvements made to athletic facilities across the street at Dakota Collegiate completed in 2018, including an artificial turf field, an outdoor basketball court, and cricket batting cage. The City invested over $1.1 million toward improvement at Dakota Collegiate.

Mayes clarified that there are newer indoor rubberized tracks in Winnipeg, but this one is full length, and “there has only been one of those in Winnipeg.”