Western School Division officials are pleased to see people already enjoying and making good use of the new track at École Discovery Trails School in Morden.
It is a top-level track that has the potential to really draw people and events to the community, board chairperson Darcy Wolfe suggested last week.
“I think this will put us on the map and put us into consideration [for major events],” said Wolfe.
“It’s really exciting to think about what could happen,” he continued. “It is something that had been needed in the area and in the region … from what I know, there’s only tracks like this in Winnipeg, Brandon, and Selkirk, so having it here in southern Manitoba and in Morden will bring athletes and people here.”
The track project became possible with support from a variety of sources, beginning with the City of Morden donating 2.6 acres of adjacent land that allowed the division to include a soccer field and full size running track on the new school’s property. Other funding came from the provincial government, Morden Area Foundation, and business and individual donations large and small.
“This track really was a community project. It really speaks to what we can get done when we work together,” said Wolfe. “The local community and the local business community really came together to help make this happen.”
Wolfe recalled when he was at one of his first meetings as a board trustee seven years ago and the observation was made that the division needed a newer track than the one at Morden Collegiate.
“The board is really excited that this project finally got done. It’s something that obviously, along with the school, that we’ve been working on for quite a number of years.”
And he is pleased to see that it is already being well used.
“I’ve been out here a couple of times myself, and every time I’ve come out, there’s been other people walking around and enjoying it,” Wolfe said.
“I’ve gotten messages from a couple of young people who I know are athletes … and have started training and are off to national competitions … so they’re pretty excited about having this here,” he noted. “I think it’s really going to open up a lot of doors here for young people here to excel in track and field.”
“They’re coming out and running, and it could inspire everyone to get out and get active,” Wolfe added. “I’ve even heard of some seniors who are coming out and walking on the track just to exercise … it’s really exciting to hear the broad participation and the broad audience that we can have using this track.”
