During the 2021-2022 school year, Madison was forced to cancel home track meets due to the school track being in poor shape. The track was in complete disrepair not only due to unfortunate weather during the winter season, but because of 30-year-old asphalt laid underneath the track that is causing the track to crack and break. After MLS canceled these home track meets, the district was expecting to be unable to host future meets and potentially multiple activities that utilize the track.
Last May, Athletic Director John Dragas was approached by a local family, anonymously, who expressed interest in funding repairs for the track. After consulting with a contractor, MLS was presented with two options: the first was to repair the track to the best of the contractor’s ability, making it usable for students and able to host track meets for an estimated 3-5 years; the second to build an entirely new track and fix the underlying asphalt issues, lasting up to 25 years – the difference being about $200,000 between the two.
The anonymous family generously donated $100,000 to fund the first option, making it possible to repair the track for student and community usage. These repairs should hold for about 3-5 years before the track begins to see any disrepair.
“One family has enabled our track to be brand new again,” states Director Dragas. “We so very much appreciate their generosity and care for our students.”
Superintendent Angela Smith echoes these sentiments, saying, “With such a tight budget, it’s imperative that we focus our limited funds on academics for all grade levels. We would not have been able to divert money to repair the track, but it would have been a huge loss for many students if we were unable to use it. The generosity of this family has given the district and Madison students a huge gift that will last over several years.”
The track is on target for student usage and to host track meets for Spring 2023. Weather permitting, stripes will be added onto the lanes within the next week or two.
