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Officials break ground on Incline all-weather track

Margaret Moran
mmoran@sierrasun.com
Margaret Moran / North Lake Tahoe Bonanza

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — After years of delay due to the downturned economy, the students of Incline High School are getting their own all-weather track in time for next year.

The six-lane, polyurethane track will replace the high school’s unmarked dirt track that is inadequate to hold most practices and meets.

“It’s going to make the world of difference for our team,” said Courtney Taves, one of school’s track coaches. “It’s phenomenal that we’re going to have a great facility on which to train.”



In years past, the team has traveled to Galena High School twice a week to practice during snow-heavy springs, spending approximately 45 minutes on a bus each way, Taves said.

“You’ve got the safety issue of driving in winter weather, plus that’s (nearly) two hours the kids could be spending reading and doing homework,” said Mark Zimmerman, IHS assistant principal.



Ground-breaking occurred Monday, with a targeted completion date for the end of August, Zimmerman said.

Once complete, the track can used by both students and residents, with the outside lane being designated for community use.

The all-weather track is the first part of the multi-phase community stadium project that’s been in the works since 2006.

“What happened was the money had been allocated to do the (track) project, and then the economy took a dump, so once the economy went down, everything kind of went into limbo,” Zimmerman said.

The track will cost roughly $542,000, up from its original estimate of $450,000, mostly due to upgrades in track surface quality, according to the Washoe County School District. Funding is provided by the district’s 2002 Bond Rollover Program.

Phase two involves getting and installing turf to accommodate other sports teams, such as softball and baseball, who similarly get bused to Carson City for practice during spring.

“Once we have the all-weather track out and we have the turf down, we can put snow-removal equipment (down) to take the snow off,” Zimmerman said.

A committee is in the process of raising funds for the second phase, estimated to cost between $1.3 million to $1.4 million, said Bill Horn, general manager of the Incline Village General Improvement District, who sits on the committee.

Currently, approximately $750,000 has been raised — $500,000 from Washoe County parks funds, which IVGID helped to secure, and $250,000 in donations. The hope is to raise the additional cash by the end of the year, Horn said.

If that happens, the target date to break ground on the turf would be May 1, 2014, with completion in late August 2014, he said.

The potential final phase would consist of installing new bleachers and a scoreboard and constructing new restrooms, a concession area, ticket booth and storage area at the football field, at an estimated cost of $2 million, Horn said.


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