Calls to re-open Peterborough athletics track as club offers to take over temporary running

The track at the Embankment remains shut despite the best efforts of Peterborough and Nene Valley Athletics Club (PANVAC) which has been lobbying for the facility to begin being used again and even offered to run it on a short term basis.

The track is currently run by Vivacity but will be transferred back to Peterborough City Council in September after Vivacity ended its contract to maintain leisure facilities due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The council said it has “agreed with Vivacity that the athletics track will re-open as soon as possible and likely at the same time as the Regional Pool”.

It added: “There are some outstanding works that are being completed at the track (that stopped at the start of the pandemic), but it will re-open very shortly.”

And at last week’s Full Council meeting, cabinet member Cllr Steve Allen said “detailed discussions” with local sports clubs and community groups will be progressed in the coming weeks and months.

However, Stuart Haw, a PANVAC member and PhD student who is exploring community asset transfer of leisure facilities, said: “PANVAC have made a commendable offer for short term facility operation. Such proposition needs to be explored imminently, as waiting until the end of the current transition period to begin subsequent discussions and have trial sessions would delay the opening of this facility further, possibly until the end of the year.

“Furthermore, If the council are to deliver the Government’s agenda of reducing obesity then the imminent opening of this facility is of paramount importance. The athletics track has historically been a community hub for participants from a multitude of sports to access inclusive and affordable leisure opportunities.

“Benefits from using such a facility include improved mental well-being, improved physical health and cohesive and inclusive local communities. Therefore, if we are to offset the damage that this virus has caused, a joined up approach from the Peterborough City Council, local clubs and local community leaders is required. As is the imminent re-opening of this facility.”

PANVAC was formed by a merger between Peterborough Athletic Club and Nene Valley Harriers in 2019.

The Embankment athletics club has been used by a multitude of local clubs for more than 50 years while the clubhouse has been commonly used for functions and events.

The facility is the base for the Eastern region of the Special Olympics, the national federation which governs sport for intellectually disabled individuals in the UK.

The Greater Peterborough Athletics Network (GPAN) and Vivacity also has partners to provide inclusive training sessions for local residents, so prior to lockdown the track was in use six days a week.

Local athletes who have used the facility before going onto achieve international success include: Geoff Capes, Louise Hazel and Goldie Sayers, while footballers have also gone on to achieve professional contracts after using the site for their fitness training.

Elaine Larkins, chair of PANVAC, said: “We understand how tough things are currently for everybody involved with Vivacity and we’re really keen to help as much as possible. It would be great to get the track open again, but we realise that would be costly for the council, so we’ve got plans in place for a track and trace system so that people can book slots for training and we even have people on standby to help mow the grass or clean the toilets.

“Basically, we would be happy to run it for them for as long as it takes for everybody to find their feet again.”

Mark Tweedie, CEO of Community Leisure UK, said: “Communities, families and people are dealing with a crisis that was unimaginable only four months ago which is impacting on the physical and mental health of the nation.

“On July 25 leisure and sports facilities could reopen legally which was a very welcome milestone enabling thousands of people to flock back to their community facilities in valuable need of a boost to their health and wellbeing. Sadly, however, Peterborough’s facilities remain closed and I hope the proactivity demonstrated by forward thinking community activists can be harnessed so these facilities, so essential to the communities they serve in a time of unprecedented need, can reopen again very soon.”