When Crossgate Harriers and St. Theresa’s Athletics Club decided to work together, the restoration of the running track at Temple Newsam really gathered speed!

The more competitive side of running is well known. That friendly rivalry that exists between run clubs. The pride felt when when putting on your club colours, whether it be a vest, t-shirt or other piece of kit. The various run tribes of Leeds, representing their club and city in races across Yorkshire.

What is less well documented is what happens when two run clubs work together. The partnership between run clubs Crossgate Harriers, St. Theresa’s Athletics Club, alongside Leeds City Council’s Parks and Gardens to restore the track at Temple Newsam, demonstrates just what can be achieved when communities come together. With STAC providing a digger and volunteers from both clubs putting in hours of hard graft to get this restoration project going.

Richard Whitehouse & Neil Diamond from Crossgates Harriers provided Run Leeds with a little more insight into how this all came about…

The history around the construction of the track is hazy. It has, in the past, been used for prestigious athletics events and a grainy picture exists on the Leodis photographic archive site of an exhibition tennis match.  

Indeed,  urban legend tells of a failed bid for Leeds to host the Commonwealth Games. Local people always remember (not always fondly), being brought as children for school sports days. They could point to where the now demolished changing room facilities once stood.

What is clear however,  is the current popularity of the arena.  Aside from the football pitches, there are local running clubs who carry out training schedules with their members. Indeed, most days, individual runners can be seen in taking in personal sessions to boost their ‘feel good’ factors or undertaking ‘Couch to  5K’ sessions.  Many young children have been taught to ride a bicycle on the track where they can be confident of a traffic free environment.

What was becoming evident was that the track needed much TLC.  Outside lanes had become overgrown and potholed.  Vegetation had grown through long jump pits and tree branches were overhanging the area.

As the running community in the area we felt we could do something to reverse the decline. We felt that this should be returned to a cherished local amenity. 

We initially sought a meeting with managers from the Temple Newsam Estate and the local councillor Helen Hayden.  With a sense of local ownership, we wished a collaborative approach.  Particularly with the financial strain local authorities are currently under.  We felt that we could offer the energy of willing volunteers who wanted to invest time in the area.

The meeting was very positive.  We explained to the Council how we could be involved if they could offer some tools and supervision. Councillor Hayden injected a very welcomed  £500 for tools and paint to assist the project

The first volunteer day was set for 23^rd September 2023 after the local Park Run.  We had dozens of volunteers from across the generational ranges.  Thankfully the weather was kind and tons of soil were taken from the surface of the track and taken away for re-use elsewhere.  So popular was this day that a second day was quickly organised for a date in October.  Similarly we had dozens of volunteers to reduce the area that had become overgrown on the track.  Following this,  local businesses felt they could offer assistance.  KPH Plant were able to make great inroads in to removing excess soil much quicker than we could do with volunteers.  Finally, local company, AJMS Consultants were able to offer a day of volunteering from their staff.

The track looks much better having this community effort. In the short term, we wish to paint the inside and outside kerbing to define the track itself.  We would hope to do this when the weather improves a little.  Longer term, we would love to work with the Council to apply for grant funding to resurface the track.  Even if this were to mean reducing the potholes and a thin layer of gravel to improve the current surface.

Who knows……perhaps we may be able to organise a race or event at the Arena. 

 

We love to celebrate a good news story like this at Run Leeds and can’t wait to see the finished track. We are also very excited at the prospect of a potential new run event!

A huge well-done to all the hard work of these volunteers, you should all be very proud.