Lady Monarch seniors Jenna Rioch, left, and Jacqueline Witt work out on the new track at Marysville High School. The Monarchs will host five home meets during the 2020 season, including a night relays under the lights in late April. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
The new track at Marysville High School will need a bit more work prior to the beginning of the 2020 season in a couple of months.
The construction of the all-weather track is part of the Monarch athletic facilities project that included the new football stadium that opened in late September.
Work recently began on striping the track for lanes and relay exchange zones.
During that part of the process, it was discovered by the general contractor, The Altman Company, that some additional surface will need to be installed to the eighth lane of the track.
Johnathan Langhals, assistant superintendent for the Marysville Exempted Village Schools, informed the Journal-Tribune that the additional surface will not add any costs to the overall athletic facilities project.
“We will not incur any additional costs as this was a contractor error,” Langhals informed the Journal-Tribune through an e-mail.
Work to add more surface to Lane 8 will begin once the weather breaks in early spring.
Langhals said it will take three-to-five days to put in the additional surface.
That shouldn’t delay the Monarchs in hosting home meets.
“At this point, delays are not anticipated,” said Langhals. “However, the weather is always a factor.
“Once the surface is installed impacting Lane 8, the only waiting period will be a couple of hours for the striping/paint to dry as the last part of the process.”
Monarch head coach Luke Sundermeier said the project will include adding enough all-weather material to expand Lane 8 around the first curve of the track.
“Right now, it’s about a 7 and three-quarter width lane track in that one spot,” he said. “Once they begin the addition, it won’t take long to finish.”
The MHS winter indoor track club took advantage of sunny, but chilly conditions on Wednesday to work out on the track.
“We’ve been out here for the past couple of weeks (depending on the weather),” said Sundermeier.
Lady Monarch senior runners Jenna Rioch and Jacqueline Witt both said they like the new track.
“It has a nice bounce to it,” said Witt.
The Monarchs, who did not have a home track and field meet last year due to the stadium project, will host five meets during the 2020 season.
“We are also going to host a night relays meet under the lights on Friday, April 24,” said Sundermeier.
“We are very excited for this spring season.”