English High’s track got a major upgrade in the past week — bringing it up to World Athletics standards.
The new blue and red track was upgraded in two phases to accommodate the specific warm, dry conditions required for resurfacing, said a Boston Public Schools spokesperson.
This past fall, the asphalt base (which badly needed to be redone) was repaved and relined to ensure the surface was safe and ready for immediate student use. Coaches and athletes had been asking for a refreshed area that, combined with Madison Park, provides another place to train and compete at while White Stadium is rebuilt.
In the past week, the second phase of the project was installing a new synthetic (kind of has a little bounciness to it) surface, which elevated the facility to World Athletics standards, said the spokesperson.
Boston’s Parks and Recreation Department funded the project. The original contract for the asphalt resurfacing was $286,000, and an amendment for unforeseen conditions added $84,500, bringing the total to $370,500. The contract for the installation of the synthetic surface was $269,780. The total cost of the two phases together was $640,280.
