Matt Hewson
Council works on the John Landy Field athletics track will begin next month to replace the existing track with a brand new surface.
The $1.5 million renewal of the track will be fully funded by the City of Greater Geelong, and will also include the relocation of the site’s hammer and discuss cage to allow for more competition events to be held simultaneously and to meet World Athletics standards.
Landy Field will be closed from June 19 due to the works, re-opening toward the end of the year.
Council has also applied for a $5 million grant from the state government to upgrade the Landy Field pavilion and will contribute $5 million of its own funds should the application succeed.
The grant application was made via the Victorian government’s Council Support Package, a fund for regional cities who were due to receive funding to help them host the now-cancelled 2026 Commonwealth Games.
At January’s council meeting deputy mayor Anthony Aitken highlighted the need for the track to be replaced, regardless of the outcome of the pavilion upgrade grant application, as the track would lose its World Athletics Class 2 accreditation on June 30 if the track renewal were not underway.
Councillor Eddy Kontelj, chair of the Council’s Active Spaces portfolio, moved the motion at January’s meeting, saying upgrades to “the only world-accredited athletic track in Western Victoria” had been a long time coming.
This week Cr Kontelj thanked the athletics community in advance for its patience while the upgrades are carried out.
“We appreciate there will be some inconvenience, but this is an exciting project and the end result will be worth the wait,” he said.
“The Council is pleased to be investing heavily in facilities that will support our community to be fit and active.”
