Gates Locked up tight. No school in session. No activities on the track.
Keep out! Do not enter! Non-high school athletes not welcome here!
Why are all the tracks locked in Collier County? Help.
In order to be competitive in national and international master’s track competitions, a sprinter not only needs dedication and commitment, but also great coaching and training. For those of you who are track athletes, you know this training includes high intensity speed workouts, drills, and block practice on a track. Unfortunately, Collier County locks up every school track in the county even when school is not in session and the tracks are not in use. (This is not a recent happening. They have been locked for at least ten years).
I am looking for help from anyone who may know how I can get permission to run on these tracks. Today (Saturday), I went to four different high school tracks. Not one was unlocked.
Having run on tracks all over this country, including University of Virginia, University of Georgia Harvard University, Tufts University, high schools in Georgia, Arizona, Texas, Virginia, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, they all allow public access when not in use. It would be wonderful if Collier County embraced public use of their tracks as do these other schools.
Many organizations in Naples, and even some schools in Collier County, have started embracing The Blue Zones Project, pledging to make the community a healthier, happier place of the to live, work, and play. From Move Naturally to the Right Tribe, I believe Masters Track and Field aligns nicely with The Blue Zones Project.
No doubt there was some type of issue in the past, resulting in the decision to lock all the gates. But, aren’t tracks public property? Shouldn’t the public be allowed to use them, especially when not being used by the school or when school is not in session? Doesn’t allowing the public to access tracks for exercise and training further the benefits of the Blue Zones Projects?
I believe the time has come to revisit whatever the issue(s) have been, and I respectively request that the decision to prohibit public access to high school tracks, when not in use, be revisited.
As an interesting side note, Collier County offers a wide range of facilities for healthful living and recreation. Its Parks & Recreation department’s website even states that its “focus is to provide the public, both residents and visitors, with unique recreation experiences.” Collier County prides itself in offering Baseball Fields, a Basketball Court, a BMX Track, a Bocce Ball Court, a Cricket Field, Little League Fields, Multiuse Fields, Pickleball Courts, Racquetball Courts, Rollerhockey Rinks, Shuffleboard Courts, Skateparks, Soccer Fields, Softball Fields, Tennis Courts, and Volleyball Courts. But… no track.
Can someone please help me?
Please share, especially to someone that may have the authority to make a difference.
Thank you.
Chris McConnell – World Ranked Masters Sprinter, Headshot Photographer and Tax CPA
