For the first time in 23 years, the students at George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia, were able to host their first home track meet on the newly renovated track and field. Before this renovation, students were practicing on the football field, but now they have a place to call their own.
Danville, Virginia’s George Washington Track and Field Facility.
Track and Field Renovations
George Washington High School partnered with Averett University, a local institution seeking to add track and field to its athletics department. We provided design and construction documents for reconditioning and upgrading the existing track. The track upgrades bring it into compliance with the current NCAA track and field regulations. Our scope included preparing a partial topographic survey, site/civil track plan, and bidding and construction administration services.
Accommodating both high school and NCAA field events, the track and field needed to follow stringent tolerances and distances in the plan. There was a small tolerance for cross slopes, elevation changes, and distance differential. The grading plan required meticulous attention to detail because if a track and field record is set here, the facility would need to be within the rulebook’s specifications for the record to be achieved.
The track upgrades bring it into compliance with the current NCAA track and field regulations.
Another part of this renovation included planning for the steeplechase—the track and field event that combines long-distance running with various obstacles and hurdles. Competitors run through a water pit during the race, and we needed to design a way to get water into the pit and then back out when not in use.
The grading plan required meticulous attention to detail because if a track and field record is set here, the facility would need to be within the rulebook’s specifications for the record to be achieved."
Mark Talbert
Benefiting the Community
This project is the first of many renovations for Danville Public Schools that comes from the 1% sales tax increase that voters approved in 2021. In addition to multiple schools using the facility, during non-school hours, the eight-lane track is regularly used by the community as a walking path. The renovated facility is helping foster community among students and residents of the area. For more information, check out this video.