Come November, students who run track and cross-country won’t have to use the Olympic Oval in Kearns or East High School’s track anymore.
The U women’s track and cross-country teams have been making use of alternate tracks since before 2002, but with the construction of a new track and field on a parking lot across from the Eccles Broadcast Center along Mario Cappechi Drive, they won’t need to go elsewhere.
“We’re in great need of green space on campus for all the programs campus recreation holds,” said Steve Pyne, director of event operations for the athletics department. “We’re so underutilized in fields.”
The athletics department received a $2 million donation from the McCarthey Foundation, which is funding most of the track facility besides a $100,000 gift from the U rugby club. The new field will take up about 500 parking spots across from the Eccles Broadcast Center used by KUER radio and the medical facilities on upper campus.
Desslie Andreason, a project manager for campus design and construction, said the construction team is still working on alternate parking, including spots near Primary Children’s Hospital and Fort Douglas.
“Parking services is very concerned about the loss,” Andreason said.
Construction will start in May on the international-style track and synthetic field. Rugby players will gain primary access to the facility because of additional funding they are providing. U campus design and construction expects the track and field to be completed by mid-October or early November.
This project is just the beginning of a reconstruction of the southwest side of the U golf course.
As part of the Campus Master Plan, the U has plans for seven more softball, soccer and interdisciplinary fields that will be constructed partly on parking lots and the golf course, which was closed in November to begin preliminary construction on utilities for a science, technology and research complex on the north side.
Although the additional fields are still a dream on paper, the athletics department is already trying to raise funds for the needed green space, Pyne said.
The athletics department and campus recreation squeeze multiple clubs and sports teams onto about three main fields, the Stillwell Field and the North and West fields, said Julian Gomez, coordinator for intramural sports and marketing for campus recreation.
“Many of them play around the same time and have to juggle their times, practices and games to play on the field,” Pyne said.
Campus design and construction won’t begin work on a new softball field until the Student Life Center, a proposed center that would promote recreation and healthy lifestyles, can be built to the south of the new track and field.
Andreason said the old baseball diamond will be relocated closer to the new track.
“They’re taking out all those tennis courts,” Andreason said. “They’re basically unusable, worn out.”
Track and cross-country head coach Kyle Kepler said the team, which finished third at cross-country conference championships, is very excited for the new track, which will allow for home meets to be on campus instead of at East High School.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Kepler said. “At the same time, we’ve found a way to keep the program rolling. This track is something the team definitely deserves and has earned. We want to build the best facility we can to keep the program strong.”
Tyler CobbParking lots near the Eccle Broadcast Center and KUER will be replaced by a new track facility. Construction for the new facility begins in May.
Richard PaysonWith construction for USTAR buildings already under way, the athletics department will begin construction on a new track facility by the Eccles Broadcast Center.