For 18 months Thanet Athletics Club has been without a permanent track due to extensive repairs needed at its base at the Royal Harbour Academy in Ramsgate.
But now the club is celebrating after the site was repaired, remarked and cleaned and has now been given a full bill of health, not just for training but also for being good enough quality to host competitions.
In a partnership between Thanet council and the Coastal Academies Trust, the council contributed £40,000 to the £80,000 project to help repair the facilities.
The project involved resurfacing the track, replacing the track drainage, and repairing and upgrading the floodlights. Thanet council’s funding supported the floodlights.
A community use agreement is in place between Kent County Council, Royal Harbour Academy, Thanet council and England Athletics. This is to ensure that residents across Thanet can use the track through community programmes and special events, as well as regular club sessions.
For more information on current sessions, visit the Thanet Athletics Club website.
Thanet Athletics Club formed in 2010 and the eight lane track and facilities at what was then the Marlowe were funded by then-governor Roger de Haan and other charities and organisations on the back of the 2012 London Olympics.
But around two years ago, when dad-of-three Julien Lawton took on the role of TAC chairman, a walk around the track evidenced the poor state that facilities had fallen into with lumps on the lanes, nets hanging down and weeds in the sandpit.
At that point the site was closed while work was assessed and funds sought.
What followed was 18 months of TAC finding temporary training spaces at Government Acre, Ramsgate harbour and then St Lawrence College until it went into administration in April this year.
Julien said: “We managed to keep it going but numbers dwindled, you don’t necessarily want your children running around Government Acre. But we kept motivated and kept talking to the school and the council.
“What we have now is a massive resource for Thanet and the county. The school agreed to put money in as well as the local authority, Ramsgate Town Council and Roger de Haan.
“They have fixed the track, cleaned it, re-marked it and the standard is good enough to hold competitions so we are really pleased.
“For us it makes a world of difference, the track and sports field is so much better.
“We are now launching our Back On Track campaign which is about expanding our numbers, getting new volunteers for everything on track but also HR, finance, the things we need for the club.
“We are also really keen to attract people with disabilities. I have three children who are luckily fit and healthy but if they had a disability I would want them to have the same opportunities as their siblings.
“It is about more than just physical fitness. This is about positive mental health in an area that has high social deprivation.”
The club is also looking forward to any improvements that may come as part of the £10m planned project at Jackey Bakers, which includes the aim of securing the RHA athletics track for community use.
Former police officer Julien says he started competing with the club last year, aged 56, so he can ‘lead by example.’
Members of TAC range from the ages of eight to 79.
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Coastal Services at Thanet District Council said: “Thanet District Council cares enormously about helping local people improve their overall health and wellbeing. It’s so important that Thanet residents have quality facilities and open places where they can get active.
“High quality sports facilities can play a really important role in improving activity levels and overall quality of life.
“Thanks to this project, many local people can literally get ‘back on track’; get up, get out and get active again. This excellent result comes from close partnership working, and I’m grateful to the Royal Harbour Academy for their commitment to reopening the track.”
Kristian Lasslett, Headteacher at the Royal Harbour Academy said: “We’re grateful to Thanet District Council and the Coastal Academies Trust for providing the funding to repair and replace the track and the floodlights to bring this great facility back to life. Their support means that our students, their families and the wider community can access top quality athletics facilities, on their doorstep.
“The track is currently enjoyed by our students and local athletics clubs. We’re keen to open up the track to as many local people as possible, and are working on plans for this at the moment.”
Find out more at: https://www.thanetac.co.uk/
