McLEANSBORO — This spring, Hamilton County Junior/Senior High School hosted track meets for the first time in years thanks to a new all-weather track.

Now the volunteer committee spearheading the track project is getting ready for its final phase — and it’s again looking to the public for financial support.

The Race to the Finish Committee expects construction of sidewalks at the schools’ outdoor sports facilities to start “within the next 10 days,” Mike Lewis, chairman of the construction subcommittee, said last week.

And the committee is trying to raise $25,000 to complete the sidewalks, he said.

Race to the Finish announced plans in late summer 2008 to build a new all-weather track for the school. Deteriorating conditions — including a major drainage problem — at the school’s cinder track prompted volunteers to take on the project.

Demolition work and construction began in June 2009, and the new track was ready in time for the spring 2010 season.

The committee set and met a fundraising goal of $300,000, volunteer Lovella Craddock said. In addition to the track itself, that money has gone toward such expenses as new fencing and a new drainage system at the facility.

Hamilton County’s new track surrounds its football field, with both located south of the schools’ baseball and softball fields, separated from them by a grassy field.

“We want to complete the rest of the sidewalks over to the baseball and softball fields,” he said. “It will lessen the temptation to cross the track if we have sidewalks to route people around the track.”

Wear-and-tear on the new track is a concern, Lewis said.

“We want people to use the track,” he said, but for its intended purposes — running or walking for exercise — and with appropriate shoes. The committee wants to minimize other traffic — such as bicycles, strollers and skateboards — on the track.

Plans call for approximately 2,580 square feet of concrete sidewalk at the north end of the track, 2,244 square feet at the south end, 1,380 square feet on the visitors’ side and 424 square feet south of the concession stand, according to a proposal from O’Daniel Trucking Co. of Carmi.

“This proposal will completely encircle the track,” Lewis said.

O’Daniel is proposing to do the work for approximately $23,860.

Sidewalk construction is expected to be complete well before the start of the fall sports season, Lewis said.

There is still other work to be done at the facility, such as landscaping, which is important “because of erosion that could end up damaging the sidewalks,” he said.

Also, additional culverts need to be installed to alleviate some drainage problems, Mayor Dick Deitz, another committee member, said.

Since the opening of Hamilton County’s new junior/senior high school in October 2001, work on its athletic facilities — in addition to the track — has included renovation of the football and baseball fields and construction of outdoor tennis and basketball courts.

Race to the Finish’s appeal to the community for funds will be the  last fund drive “to complete the project,” Lewis said. But the committee will continue to put on an annual dinner to raise funds for the track’s upkeep, he added.

“We don’t want this track to fall into disrepair,” he said, “and we don’t want to burden the school district or the taxpayer.”

Getting involved

Anyone wanting to support the Race to the Finish Committee’s sidewalk construction project may call Marilyn Lewis, committee chairman, at the Hamilton County Unit 10 office, 643-2328, Ext. 6106. Checks may be made to the Hamilton County Schools Foundation or Race to the Finish and sent to the Unit 10 office at 109 N. Washington St.