Upgrades still on track

GEELONG athletes and para-athletes are set return to the Landy Field track before the end of this year, with work on the final rubber layer getting underway this week.

Once complete, more than 57 tonnes of recycled rubber mix – equivalent to 9,405 car tyres – will have gone into this $1.5 million renewal of Geelong’s premier athletics track.

So, not only will the renewal of track allow Landy Field to retain its World Athletics Class 2 accreditation, it’s also a fantastic outcome for the environment too.

This project is a great example of how the City of Greater Geelong is seeking to minimise waste, promote increased use of recycled materials in infrastructure and contribute to circular economies.

In coming weeks crews will install the top layer of the new blue and grey surface, completing the replacement of the previous track, which had reached the end of its design life.

Line-marking will follow shortly after and we anticipate reopening the track mid-to-late next month.

The final stages of work are also underway to relocate the hammer throw and discuss cage, which will allow more events to run at the venue simultaneously in accordance with World Athletics standards.

This will provide a fantastic boost for Geelong track and field athletes, both during training and events, as they strive to run faster, leap higher and become stronger.

The project, combined with an upcoming $10 million pavilion redevelopment, will help secure Landy Field’s future as Geelong’s premier regional athletics facility.

This, in turn, will help promote the growth of athletics in Geelong and attract high quality athletics events to our city.

Design work is currently underway on the pavilion revamp, after the Victorian Government and the City of Greater Geelong committed $5 million each earlier this year.

The redevelopment includes the construction of a new two-storey pavilion, a grandstand and other facility improvements.

The new pavilion will feature a competition office, public toilets, change rooms, a kiosk, social and community spaces, a meeting room and a uniform store, as well as providing a main entry point to the complex.

We expect to go to market for a head contractor for the project by mid-2025, with construction anticipated to begin late next year.

Together, these projects will provide state-of-the-art facilities and a modern fit-for-purpose pavilion, while spectators will be able to watch in the comfort of a brand-new grandstand.

It will be fantastic to hear of the roar of the crowd at athletics meets and school sporting carnivals as athletes and para-athletes strive to achieve their best.

Ali Wastie

Chief executive officer, City of Greater Geelong