Update

OPINION - Building a state-of the-art competition athletics track in George is a marvellous idea.

Especially if it means regional athletes could be spared the exhausting seven-hour bus trip to Cape Town on alternating years for provincial championships.

To the local youth plagued by entrenched social ills, rooted in deeply embedded disparities in income, education and infrastructure, the recently upgraded Rosemoor Athletics Track is like rain in a drought.

The World Athletics (WA) class 2-certified track, based in the heart of this historically disadvantaged area, is more than just a sports facility; it's a symbol of hope and a springboard for opportunity. It should offer kids a safe space to train and dream beyond their circumstances, while promoting health, discipline and purpose, and opening doors to education, competition and careers. At the same time, it could restore pride and dignity in a long-overlooked community.

The benefits of hosting big events also extend beyond athletes, with spin-off opportunities for vendors and local businesses.

The pomp and pageantry of its official opening on 23 June suggested to me that a new era for sport in George and the Garden Route had arrived. The high-profile PR stunt created the impression that things were on track and everyone involved knew where they were going with this landmark project.

White elephant?

Unfortunately, this eulogised beacon of progression might remain, at least for now, a white elephant.

The track is being developed in phases, as and when grant funding becomes available. While Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie proclaimed at the launch that he could see the value of the R40m spent, it later emerged that only R25 973 941 has been spent so far.

This raises questions about whether the remaining R14m for further development and equipment is available, or if the municipality still has to jump through hoops to access it - and what about rising costs over time?

Obvious shortcomings include the absence of athletics equipment such as high jump mats, hurdles, javelins and flags, only expected to arrive in January. There is also no camera mounting structure for electronic timing, meaning records can't yet be broken at Rosemoor. Spectator facilities are also minimal.

Certified, but for what?

While the synthetic track is WA class 2-certified (suitable for national and provincial meets), it remains unclear what the construction category of the facility is (or will be once completed), and thus, what level of competition it can truly support.

According to the World Athletics Track and Field Facilities Manual, facilities intended for higher-level competitions are also classified into construction categories (ranging from category 1 to 5), which govern the minimum infrastructure a venue must provide.

A category 1 facility, suitable for top-tier events like the Olympics, includes spacious ancillary rooms for support services (officials, medical, anti-doping, timing and results, media, equipment storage) and ample spectator amenities (seating, restrooms, refreshment kiosks, parking). In contrast, a category 5 facility is intended for entry- or community-level events and offers minimal or no such facilities.

A week after the track's grand opening, the George Municipality confirmed the tender for competition equipment still had to be advertised, and that consultants were due to conduct a site visit with Athletics SWD to determine the best design and placement for the required timing equipment at the finish line.

That the track is not competition-ready, especially given the fanfare at the launch, is concerning, not only due to the false hope it may have created, but also because the WA classification is valid for only five years.

Rosemoor Athletics Track. Photo: Jacqueline Herbst

Controlling the narrative?

When asked for clarity on planned phases, timelines and remaining infrastructure, the municipality declined to take the media into its confidence.

Instead, they responded dismissively: 

"Dear Jacqui, thank you for your queries. We understand that these questions may have been submitted to you by interested parties involved in the project. We kindly request that the ongoing discussions between our Sport Development division and South Western District Athletics (SWDA) be allowed to continue to ensure the smooth progress of this multi-year project."

I wonder what the response would have been had officials at the launch been more transparent about the phased approach to developing the track instead of praising the mayor for how well the money was spent.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Group Editors and its publications.

Previous articles:

Accredited athletics track ushers in new era for sport on the Garden Route

Gayton McKenzie hands over R40m tartan athletics track in George

Rosemoor tartan track on track

Municipality tackles tartan track head-on

Controversy surrounds R40,6m Rosemoor tartan track

Multi-million Rosemoor stadium upgrade with focus on the tartan athletics track

Nuwe verwikkelinge oor tartanbaan

New developments regarding athletics track

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