Delays to Dumbarton’s long-awaited Posties Park athletics hub are forcing runners away from the sport during the winter months, according to a local coach and blogger.
Dave Shaw, who runs the Runrhaw blog, says the lack of floodlit and safe facilities forces many runners, especially women and children, to scale back activities when the clocks change.
Proposals have been in place since 2015 aimed at regenerating the Levenside venue into a state-of-the-art athletics track – but have been hit by a string of delays and setbacks.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the facility was due to open last March – with councillors then told that it would open in November at the earliest.
That was then amended to February, with the local authority then aiming for a summer opening.
But as the clocks changed last weekend it remained inaccessible to athletes.
The project is now more than £3million over budget – with costs now sitting at an estimated £6million.
Dave told the Lennox: “It’s incredibly frustrating. People are dying to get on it.
“I take a running group and do a bit of coaching aside from that.
“When the clocks change at this time of year, many of the women I coach have their training cut right back.
“They say they can only run at lunchtimes because they don’t feel safe going out early in the morning or late at night.
“I get frustrated for them because we have to cut training from an hour a day down to 35 minutes and they feel that frustration too.
“I’m fortunate enough I’ll stick my head torch on and go running up and down the cycle path.
“But I know that I’m absolutely in the minority in that regard.
“For women in particular it’s so frustrating to have something so close and that should be so accessible. But that is left inaccessible.”
And Dave says he’s left most frustrated for youngsters, who are still waiting on a top quality facility opening on the doorstep.
He continued: “It’s totally unmeasurable how many people aren’t involved with athletics because of these delays. Especially with kids. Where are they supposed to train after school when it’s dark?
“I’m in the fortunate position that, if my kids wanted to go and run, then I’d go out with them. But I’m in the minority.
“Where could my kids go to train that is safe for them? There’s nowhere.
“I trained on the track when it was red blaes when I was a kid. For the last 30 years there hasn’t been something like that for the kids.
“I’d be delighted if it opened and I could go on it with my kids.
“It has the facilities for the field sports as well; it’s got a long jump, hammerthrow, javelin. Up until now kids can’t do that, other than indoors. And that’s not going to get people to Olympic level.”
Dave says that many runners are now taking it on themselves to scale the fence and try out the track, with Strava routes showing it is in regular use.
But he says that those using it aren’t always made welcome.
He added: “You’d be hard pushed to find a running track in a more picturesque location. It feels so close and that’s what is annoying everyone so much.
“People are going on the track and using it. I’ve done that myself, I don’t mind being challenged, but not everyone is willing to do that. But they are being challenged by other people who are also using it.
“Three times I was stopped and challenged on how I got in – to which I accept I should not be there. But I was challenged by others who also don’t have access and were using the track – given the facility is not open yet.
“There was also a female athlete training there along with her two children who were running around on lane eight, having fun, and who are the potential future Olympians of our area.
“I saw her being approached and asked how she got in, to which she answered that someone gave her the code. She left 400m later with her two children.
“What a negative experience for the kids. What a beginning for their athletic memories should they wish to continue it. Maybe they won’t because of this.
“We have an amazing resource there that can’t be used unless you’re ballsy enough to jump the fence and risk potential challenge from others doing the same.
“The runners of the area are so frustrated.”
The Lennox understands that there is still no timeframe for an official opening, with the council still waiting on a completion certificate.
Previously a council officer told members of the IRED committee: “We’re chasing the contractors as vigorously as we can to complete that work. And thereafter there will be a final inspection before occupation can be granted.”