SALT LAKE CITY – East High School’s track is one of the area’s most beautiful, but the Salt Lake City School District needs help keeping it that way.
Many train on public high school tracks and also enjoy the views at stunning locations like East.
“We want the community here and it’s good to have other people here and use it, but again, it comes down to being responsible with it and treating it the way you want it to last,” said Isaac Astel, the district’s executive director of support services.
Visiting college distance runner Sierra Basco says public schools in her hometown of New York don’t allow people to use the track the way the district does here.
“It’s nice to see so many people being able to use the facilities,” she said.
Astel would like to keep the race track, tennis court and fields open to everyone, but adds that the community’s help is needed to maintain the facilities.
“The field behind me is our natural soccer field and we have seen a lot of damage on it because people have come and moved their equipment around, moved the goal posts or even put them on sprinklers,” he explained.
Last year, the district spent $16,000 in taxpayer money on repairs. Damage to the tracks and fields also poses a risk of injury to student-athletes.
“Every little bump, every crack in the grass that has been damaged or died because the sprinkler system didn’t work, all of that creates bumps in the fields and poses a risk to them,” Astel said.
The school district wants to convey to the public that they are welcome, but asks users to be considerate so that everyone can continue to use the facilities.
“If anyone sees something, say something,” Astel urged. “Report it to the district or the police if it’s after hours. Our goal is to keep them in good working order.”
