(Scott Builders/City of Lacombe/LAPA)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

waiting on grants

Track & field facility in the works for Lacombe’s MEGlobal Athletic Park

Jan 14, 2023 | 10:47 AM

The Lacombe Athletic Park Association (LAPA) has its sights set on making MEGlobal Athletic Park an even more sought-after venue to host major sporting events.

LAPA shared an update with Lacombe city council this month, outlining its plan to construct a full scale track & field facility around the existing football field.

The star of the show will of course be a track itself, with the smaller throwing, running and jumping venues in the vicinity.

LAPA Chairperson Jay Adamson says the goal is to become a hub for big events.

“This is part of an overarching plan we’ve worked on with stakeholders to determine what we want to do to grow the athletic park. It’s part of a long-term vision for the community and what it needs to have. We were lucky enough that MEGlobal stepped up to be a major sponsor. They really liked our vision and donated $2 million for phase one which was the fieldhouse, and which we completed during COVID,” explains VAdamson.

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(Scott Builders/City of Lacombe/LAPA)

View the track plans in larger scale here

“There is a track at Lindsay Thurber in Red Deer, but within central Alberta, as far as a full-fledged track & field facility fully endorsed by Athletics Alberta, there isn’t one. We’ve worked with Athletics Alberta, consulted with Athletics Canada, and the result is a design that we worked on with Scott Builders to ensure it’s done properly.”

Adamson says it will be class two certified and can host large-scale events such as provincial championships and senior games.

“We want to increase that economic boost to central Alberta, not just Lacombe and Lacombe County,” he says. “We’ve already seen that regional impact, financially and with people using the the facility, with the football field.”

Both the City of Lacombe and Lacombe County provide $50,000 annually for operating to LAPA, with each also committing $500,000 towards phase two.

Adamson says community fundraising is always on the go, but construction will likely have to wait until LAPA hears back and gets approval for a Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant.

There is also an agreement that must be reached between Wolf Creek Public Schools and The City in order for LAPA to use the land on which it is necessary to complete the track project.

Phase two’s budget is about $3.3 million.