Nick Pascuzzi couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he stood next to a weed-free track at Don Ross Secondary School.
"It's been in a state of disappear for a long time," the school's principal said.
The track was built in 2001, after the school received a grant from the community. At the time, community members were in charge of its upkeep, said Rick Hume, School District 48's director of facilities and services. But as time moved on, so did the volunteers, and the track was left untouched.
"We don't have enough in our operating budget to stay on top of it," Hume said.
This year, Hume was able to secure approximately $6,600 for the track - money originally a part of school district's snow removal budget. Last winter, the area didn't receive as much of the fluffy white stuff as officials had set money aside for in the piggy bank and there was cash left over.
District staff replaced drainage around the track and the wooden edging around the inside edge. They also upgraded the track material. District officials are looking into purchasing a device that can be dragged behind a pickup truck or tractor to rid the track of weeds, Hume added. "We would probably use it two to three times a year," he said.
Pascuzzi encourages the community to come use the facility. "We really want people to know about [the repairs]," he said.
