Praise for keeping athletes on track

A group of volunteers keeping athletics on track in Geelong has earned public recognition.
Two members of John Landy Athletics Field Committee of Management – Ron Palmer and Stuart Robley – have been involved for more than 40 years.
Geelong councillor John Irvine presented commemorative plaques to committee members on Wednesday.
The committee formed in 1961 after an agreement between the council and Geelong Guild Athletics Club to develop Landy Field’s track and other facilities.
“Thanks to the committee’s diligent stewardship, Landy Field has become a renowned regional athletics track and an integral part of Geelong’s sporting landscape,” Cr Irvine said.
“Their commitment has seen the facilities and equipment continually improve over the years to be used extensively by schools and athletics clubs for training and competition,” he said.
“The work of Stuart, Ron and the committee has resulted in Landy Field providing a level of service unheard of at other regional facilities and is the reason that our track is so heavily booked for training and competitions.”
Landy Field was also the first Little Athletics site in Australia and still had one of the sport’s largest membership bases in Victoria, Cr Irvine said.
“Landy Field has given thousands of young people the chance to be active and participate in Little Athletics over the years.”