-Kean's Track Is On The Move

By: M.V.B.

Kean’s unfinished track

Have you ever waited, to the point where you felt your patience was running out? Well, I am here to tell you about the never ending wait the Kean High students have endured for a new track. “For the first time, in almost six years, the track and field athletes at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School are excited for the future,” according to the Daily News. http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/kean-track-and-field-complex-under-way-finally-1.1325853

I am a short distance athlete and I am very disappointed. My dream of being a track star ending upon my arrival to this school.

The wait started in 2007, when construction began on the field at Kean High. Everyone was excited but when construction stopped for about a month, questions were raised. What we found out was shocking; there was no more money left to complete the track.

“After years of delays, Kean High’s track is expected to be completed by June 2013,” according to this article: http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/after-years-of-delays-kean-track-expected-to-be-finished-by-june-1.1426445

We've waited for so long, some of us even forgot we had a track in the making. While our track remained unfinished, Kean High athletes have had to utilize Charlotte Amalie High School’s track.

How should we, Kean students, feel training on our rival’s track? I can tell you: There’s no good feeling about walking onto your rival’s track to train.

Furthermore, the track at CAHS is in terrible condition, and the likelihood of a student getting injured is very high. It's like driving on a bumpy road and the car is just rocking from side to side. While Kean High's track is under construction, our rival's field is supposed to be under renovation.

The V.I Public Finance Authority (V.I.P.F.A) is giving CAHS $1.5 million for repairs to their track. Many people are skeptical about this actually happening. As the older folks say, “Seeing is BELIEVING. And a promise is a comfort to a fool.” The V.I.P.F.A is giving Kean High $4.5 million to finish our track, supposedly enough money to complete the field by June. If rain doesn’t cause further delays.....

Kean High’s Track is on its way to being finished

Finally our football players will have a decent area to practice. The football players will most likely make use of the infield. This is the phase of construction that’s taking the longest to complete.

The track is not expected to be completed before the class of 2013's graduation ceremony, but it would be nice if it is finished before the graduation. I came to this institution without a field, now I am leaving and nothing has changed. Kudos to the Class of 2015, they will enjoy what we've waited for and cut the ribbon for the grand opening.

Plans call for the track will be open to the public upon completion. It is not clear what steps will be taken if an outsider were to damage the facility. Hopefully we wouldn't have to wait another seven years for damage to be fixed.

Some say the bright side is that we will finally have a track. My fellow readers, the clock is ticking. June is a few short months away. Will the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School have a complete and fully functioning field by then? We will just have to wait and see...