ORLANDO, Fla. – Just days before the start of track season, parents at Legacy Middle School reached out to News 6, mentioning they were concerned after the school’s track was suddenly torn up for construction.
What was once a running track is now piles of dirt and heavy equipment, as crews work to remove the old asphalt and bring the facility up to code. The timing, however, has raised concerns among families and student-athletes preparing for their first meet of the season.
“So the track is being totally redone. They’re removing the asphalt and then getting it back up to code,” explained Angie Gallo, Orange County Public Schools board member.
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According to OCPS, the project that was talked about last year was scheduled to begin over this spring break. Still, with the first meet scheduled for this week, some parents question whether the timing was appropriate.
District leaders say they worked closely with the school’s principal and have a plan in place to keep the season on track.
“They’ve got a plan for where they can practice and where the track meets will be held,” Gallo said. “I think they’ve got a good plan in place on how to make that work.”
Parents shared updated schedules showing several changes, including moving what was initially planned as a home meet to an away meet. In fact, all meets this season are now expected to take place off campus. News 6 asked the district about the changes, and officials said the original schedule was set before spring break and updated once new information was received.
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In the meantime, students have been practicing in alternative spaces.
“They have been practicing on the bus loop and that is asphalt as well,” Gallo said. “There’s been no hiccups, and they’ll continue to practice and be ready for track season.”
Construction is expected to continue for the next several weeks. School officials acknowledge the inconvenience but are asking for patience.
“I know this is tough. It’s never a good time when track season is about to begin and we have a track being overhauled,” Gallo said, “Just be patient — we do have a plan in place.”
Despite the disruption, Legacy Middle School is still set to begin its track season this week with a meet against Odyssey Middle School.