MEGlobal Athletic Park Field House (Supplied)

By Alessia Proietti

$250,000 for 2022

Lacombe council reaffirms funding committment for track and field facility at Lacombe Athletic Park

Jan 28, 2022 | 1:55 PM

Lacombe city council reaffirmed its 2022 commitment to Phase 2 Expansion of the Lacombe Athletic Park Association’s (LAPA) track and field facility at Monday’s meeting.

Phase 1 of the project began in 2018 with a $2 million donation from MEGlobal Canada to expand the fieldhouse of their Athletic Park. Completed in 2021, improvements included new change rooms, washrooms, and other spectator facilities.

Phase 2 focuses on building a state-of-the-art outdoor track and field facility approved by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF). The proposed facility would include a running track, long jump and triple jump pits, pole vault, high jump, javelin, discus, shot put and fully automatic timing, which provides the ability to qualify for hosting regional, provincial and national track and field competitions.

Schools within the City of Lacombe and Lacombe County will have free access to the facility.

LAPA intends on beginning construction once grant funding is permitted. They have asked the City of Lacombe and Lacombe County to each contribute $500,000 in order to secure funding from other levels of government.

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Councillor Cora Hoekstra had concerns over granting the amount of funds, comparable in amount to the funding for the Lacombe Regional Airport, during a pandemic.

“I struggle with this amount of money going to the Athletic Park at this time. Yes I know people would like a track and athleticism is a very good thing for our citizens and all that kind of stuff,” she said. “I would like to figure out how to revisit this commitment.”

Councillor Reuben Konnik contested that opinion, stating that for many members of the community, the track and field facility will be more utilized than the recreational airport.

“For all the money we’ve invested in the airport, I’ll never use the airport, ever. But my kids have used and will use the high school facilities,” he said.

The Lacombe & District Recreation, Parks and Culture Board recommended council support the project in January 2019. The Ten-Year Capital Plan included the track and field facility since then.

LAPA presented their Phase 2 Expansion of the project at a joint council meeting in December 2021.

The 2022 City of Lacombe capital budget contains a commitment of $250,000 and the same amount in 2023.

Mayor Grant Creasey expressed similar concerns over the amount of funds during a difficult year, however, wanted to stick to the City’s promise.

“This is a very difficult one for me; I’ll be perfectly honest with you. However, I do value the fact that we did make a commitment to this organization in the past for these funds. To be perfectly honest, if this was an ask now, I think the result would be substantially different,” he said.

Councillor Chris Ross agreed that the project must be completed as it has already begun.

“We did give support of this and I feel like you follow through with your word,” he said. “Without a doubt there’s going to be difficult times ahead but let’s finish it. Just do it right, get it done.”

The City’s Recreation and Culture Master Plan lists an outdoor track as its ninth highest priority.