Halle (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Olympic Essenbeek-Halle athletics club’s track, built in the 1950s, underwent a 1.2 million euro renovation to meet modern standards and host competitions again.
Jean-Pierre De Staercke from the Olympic Essenbeek-Halle athletics club said it’s essential to fix the athletics track. The track was built in the 1950s and hasn’t been updated much since the last big renovation in 2000. It got worse over time, making it hard to use for competitions. The recent renovation fixed these problems by making the track level again and using asphalt to ensure it meets today’s standards, so it’s safe and better for athletes.
How will the renovated €1.2M track at Olympic Essenbeek-Halle benefit athletes and the community?
It has been said that the track is completely flat and in great shape, it can be used for competitions again. The upgrades have made the facility much better, allowing athletes to train and compete in a place that meets the latest standards. This renovation not only improves the experience for club members and local athletes but also allows the venue to host bigger athletic events, which helps the community and promotes the sport in the area.
While the track was being renovated, the athletes from Olympic Essenbeek-Halle had to find other places to train. Nearby clubs helped them out, which kept their training on track. This was important for their performance, especially for top runners like Isaac Kimeli, who runs long distances, and the Borlée brothers, who are fast sprinters. Jonathan Sacoor, a young talent in the 400 meters, also needed good places to train for his competitions. Now that the renovations in Huizingen are finished, the athletes can return to their improved home track. Jean-Pierre De Staercke is happy they’re back and believes having a good training facility is crucial for the club. The new track will support both current athletes and future talents in their training.
The track was opened on 10th September by Flemish Minister of Sport Ben Wets and Deputy Ann Schevenels. The total cost of fixing it was 1.2 million euros. Minister Wets paid 850,000 euros with support from Sport Vlaanderen and the Flemish Randfonds. He mentioned that this track is important for the Zennestreek area. The province of Flemish Brabant put in 250,000 euros, and the city of Halle contributed 50,000 euros. The Olympic Essenbeek-Halle athletics club added 40,000 euros. This club has used the track for over 20 years and hosts major events like the Belgian championships.
