Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The push to raise $240,000 to replace the Colfax High School track is nearing the goal.
C-Town project Chairman Mark Mackleit and Bulldogs Track Coach Jason Cooper presented a report to the school board Tuesday night.
Cooper showed architectural drawings and told the board his group now has $200,000 committed to the project, which includes the district’s $130,000.
C-Town’s recent pledges include a $40,000 grant from the state-county .09 fund, $5,000 from the McGregor Company and $25,000 in private donations from the community. The group received $10,000 from PNW last year.
“We need $240,000 total, and that’s on the high end,” said Cooper.
He indicated they aim to start construction this summer – after Relay for Life and the Concrete River Festival. They would tap one of two companies for the work – Track Doctor of Boise, Idaho, or Bynum Track from Ohio.
Construction will include filling the cracks of the existing track to solidify as foundation for the new track – which will sit four inches above the grass of the football field.
“Essentially it’ll be a brand new track on top of the old one,” said Cooper.
He also told the school board Tuesday of an estimated $190,000 per year in economic benefit he believes the new track will bring to the town of Colfax. Working off of calculations he did with Mayor Todd Vanek and City Administrator Mike Rizzitiello, Cooper stated the number came from the amount of track meets that Colfax once hosted here but then lost in the past decade as the track’s condition diminished.
On June 11, a portion of all sales at Jones Truck and Implement will go to C-Town Project.
“We began a year ago last Tuesday,” Cooper said. “I can’t believe we’ve come this far. We’re grateful for the support of the school district and all those who’ve donated.”
Anyone interested in giving may send checks to Colfax Foundation, C-Town Project, 223 N. Main Street, Colfax, WA 99111.
For more information, call Mackleit at (509) 553-9228.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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