HERMON, Maine — A new eight-lane rubber track proposal has an estimated $2 million price tag, besides the new field, the school's soccer and football field needs urgent repair.
Building the track is a plan that has been in the works for almost a decade and on Wednesday night the town of Hermon heard the detailed proposal from the coach, school principal, business owners, and architect.
"This is the time when members of the community, members of the town council, and members of the school are looking and saying it's time we get this done," said track coach Dave King.
Currently, Hermon students training in the school's parking lot and in the school's hallways. Coach King said his athletes have to go to Hampden Academy to practice on a real track when those students are not using it after 4:30 or 5 p.m., making students get home until 7:30 p.m. or even 8 p.m. from practice.
The new track will not only benefits the school's students but also the community members who would be able to use it any day and at any time.
"We don't have to travel to the other schools to use their tracks, and the community could use it as well," said Lindsey Pellett, one of the high school's track students.
Superintendent Jim Chasses said it's a track that would represent hope and opportunity.
The high school's principal Brian Walsh says it comes down to sustaining, growing, and improving the school's track and all-around physical education programs.
"We feel at this time, with the support of the town and the schools, it's the best time in terms of an opportunity for everyone involved, especially the community and the students," Walsh said.
"It seems every year the idea of a track comes up, we have a pretty successful program both for our boys and our girls, but it is sometimes difficult because we don't have our own facility, Area schools have been very good to us and have allowed us to train in their facilities, but in terms of our own program, a track would be essential to benefit our kids," he continued.
Hermon council chair Steve Thomas said the plan has been in the works for 10 years, and if the track is not approved now, it will cost more in the years to come. Thomas adds it's an investment, but one worth investing in. "We just want to make sure that we use taxpayer dollars correctly."
The town of Hermon already has a reserve account where funds have been set aside for the project, but most of the cost still needs to be financed, about $1.8M.
"What we are looking at doing is presenting this project conceptually to the council, and then at the following council meeting, we would vote to hopefully approve putting it on the ballot, for the June election," said Thomas.
"If we had a track here all those problems will be solved and I feel academics will improve," said student and track athlete, Ian Meserve.
If residents of Hermon approve it in the June ballot, construction will start in Spring of 2022.