UCD apologise for handling of track closure in Dublin...

 

University College Dublin director of sport Brian Mullins has apologised for the way the college authorities handled the track closure. Last week, they closed the track for 'Safety' reasons and then proceded to dig up the track straight away without any warning. In an interview, Mullins said...."We had a report that indicated we were taking a (safety) chance every day we left it open, but we did not communicate this very well to our students and other athletics people and I apologise openly for that". One of the most vehement critics of the sudden closure was Senator Eamonn Coghlan and he is among those whom UCD have now enlisted to serve on a task-force to fast-track a replacement facility on the other side of the Belfield campus.

Mullins admitted that the track was allowed to go into disrepair because the campus layout has changed dramatically in recent years and all of the university's newer sports facilities have deliberately been grouped at the Clonskeagh end of the extensive grounds. "Apart from a few remaining soccer pitches the track was the last remaining outpost and it was decided not to invest in repairing hard-earned money into something that was going to be shifted in due course," he said. UCD has had planning permission for a track near its sports centre at Clonskeagh since 2009, but those plans were then hit by the recession. Mullins said: "We're quite positive now that we will get commitment for the funding soon and will move to deliver a replacement track as quickly as possible."

Dublin loses one of it's most famous tracks

Back in the 70's, the athletic track at the UCD campus in Belfield, Dublin was one of the finest in the country. Starting this week, the diggers were in ripping it up. The reason given for it's closure was “health and safety concerns” and as you can see from the photo below, it was neglected for years.
There is a proposal to build another track elsewhere on the campus but obviously, it would be a lot cheaper to re-surface the existing one rather than build a completely new one. According to an Irish Times article today, they speculate that the real reason is that it will ..."end up as a car park or the site of student accommodation".

The full Irish Times article can be seen HERE  (Photo: Bryan O’Brian)

While this may appear as a Dublin related news story, it raises the issue of other running track around the country. These tracks are not just the preserve of elite athletes intersted only in track and field events. Plenty of athletic and running clubs use them for speed training, especially during the winter months when the roads are dark.If a track like this in the capital city can be left go to ruin, what about other tracks elsewhere?