When over 2,000 people made their way to Windsor earlier this month for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations track and field meet, it brought together top athletes to compete at a pristine facility.
Despite a high participation rate in the sport locally, training to get to those types of meets is difficult in Waterloo region.
With a lack of proper facilities and others in need of repair, there's growing frustration among people in the sport about what could be if resources were better allocated to support the athletes.
Cambridge teacher James Porto is a coach with the Laurel Creek Track and Field club in Waterloo and is one of many who would like to see more money funnelled into repairs and even a potential new build.
"Which facilities? I haven't seen any," said Porto, who's also a math teacher at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.
"The school board owns a couple facilities. It's all school board owned and operated."
When walking around various schools in the city, it doesn't take long to see the dire state many tracks, high jump areas, pole vaulting and long jump pits are in. Torn up track and overgrown grass are a regular sight.
Not to mention some of the facilities weren't designed to host events at all, failing to take into consideration their use during the initial planning process.
St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, for example, has a six lane track ill-equipped to host competitive meets that require the standard eight lanes.
Porto doesn't just look at the issue through the lens of the high level athletes he coaches, as he said all young people are paying the price for the neglect.
In a sport like track and field, any skill level has the ability to participate in a cost-efficient activity.
"For me, I'm not just a track coach, I'm an adult who's trying to help kids develop," he said.
"Track and field just happens to be what I'm passionate about because it's accessible to all types of people. You don't need a minimum skill level to join the sport. Everyone can get active together but we don't put any money into it."
When asked about the issue, the Waterloo Region District School Board said maintenance is performed as required but at the moment no work is being considered at any track and field facilities.
"There are currently no projects in our renewal budget specifically for track replacements," a statement from WRDSB said.
"We continue to prioritize and address facility needs within our budget constraints to ensure the safety and functionality of our school facilities."
An email to the Waterloo Catholic District School Board went unanswered.
Former Wilfrid Laurier University Athletic Director Peter Baxter echoes similar issues to Porto and said it's a problem right across the region.
"When Centennial Stadium was mothballed, especially the track part, there was no plan in the region," Baxter said of the field that now sits mostly empty beside the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
"The whole region has had a long history in the sport, there's been Olympians come through. Just look at the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame."
Baxter sits on an ad hoc committee for facilities and believes some sort of stadium style venue is needed. It would serve as both a space for athletics, as well as cultural and other events that would draw in people from other cities and boost the local economy.
"The main thing is focusing on the community as a whole," Baxter said.
"I worked for OFSAA running the track meet and it was the second largest event in North America as far as participation goes. Right now I’m banging on the doors of anyone that will listen."
Both Porto and Baxter emphasize that as the population in the region grows, investments need to be made to ensure a thriving community.
Porto said the principal at St. Benedict has been an avid supporter of improvements and some patch work has been done on the track at the school, which he believes was done well.
Overall though, funding is missing to make significant improvements and positively impact the youth who need it most.
"It's extremely frustrating," he said.
"I've always heard everyone say you're a student first then an athlete. Education is really important, I'm a math teacher, but I think you get a way better education during a day at track and field than you do in a math class."
