YOUR SAY: We need a synthetic track but where?

I was pleased to read that a new lobbyist, Stacey Taurima, has expressed the value of a synthetic track for Ipswich.

Highly respected regional athletics coach Bailey Pashley. Picture: Inga Williams

Re: Bid for synthetic athletics track in Ipswich (QT, December 15):

I was pleased to read that a new lobbyist, Stacey Taurima, has expressed the value of a synthetic track for Ipswich.

While I endorse his action I have some reservations about his reasoning. I am pleased to see Des Johnston's response (QT, December 18).

Des, myself and another prominent athletic stalwart initiated a campaign in 2012 at the time the Commonwealth Games were awarded to the Gold Coast. For three years we lobbied and presented Council and the other Government bodies for the track.

2016 was our deadline so as to attract overseas countries to train in our city. There was much interest by authorities but no action.　

What our research did discover was that there were so many areas in Ipswich not suitable for the type of structure a synthetic track needed.

Bill Paterson Oval, being built on a dump site, is unstable with constantly changing terrain.

Sites like the Ipswich racecourse and the designated athletic field at Tivoli are undermined with mining tunnelling.

We thought we had a good location at the former Bremer High School only to learn from school personnel how the ground was subject to opening up during dry seasons.　

At the time Council seemed supportive of a track at Springfield as Stacey has suggested.　

My thoughts about this is that Springfield would just provide another track in close proximity to QEII.

Athletics would be secondary to a main sport at a shared venue. Springfield is not close enough to attract interest from the more central parts of Ipswich.

Many times we read about the rapid growth of the south-eastern corner of the city becoming a city in its own rite. Then Ipswich still would not have a track.

My recommendation, as Des Johnston recommends, is to have the track more central or a little to the west. There is need to cater for athletes from the surrounding Council regions.

Coaches and officials want a synthetic track but athletes need this facility.

Grass based surfaces are too spongy to provide the forces for good sprinting technique.

The start of a sprint race needs a firm surface underfoot to provide the forces needed for explosive horizontal drive out of the blocks. Hurdles have to overtrain to get their stride pattern between hurdles on grass.

When they compete on the tracks in Brisbane athletes have problems with striding and the rebound force from the synthetic base. So too a high jumper cannot get the force off grass to produce vertical lift to clear the bar with a firm and fast take-off.

Then there is the effect of wet weather which does not impede training or competition on a synthetic surface. At my training centre athletes train on very short grassed surfaces but planted on a cinders base.

Therefore, rain does not always affect training and cinders give a firm base.

Ipswich and the environs have produced many promising athletes but so many just miss becoming elite national representatives.

I note some of our best performers are long jumpers who do train on constructed synthetic surfaces at club grounds. We do have elite coaches operating in the city, just not the tracks.

Bailey Pashley

What do you think?

Share your views on the need for a synthetic track, how it might help regional athletes and a suitable location?

Should a developer take the lead and establish a new track at Springfield?

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