Construction for the six-lane 400 metre asphalt track at Stonybrook Middle School can now officially get underway. This comes after the sod turning ceremony Tuesday morning.

Senior Games Manager for Sport Manitoba Pat Kirby says there is a minimum standard of track Sport Manitoba and Athletics Manitoba sets out for the community. Kirby notes this track will not only be great for the 2016 Power Smart Manitoba Summer Games but also for the community to utilize afterwards and hopefully start an athletics program for students.

Assistant Superintendent Rick Ardies says it's very exciting and even with the unexpected overrun of cost, the funding of the track will be shared between the Manitoba Games Committee, the City of Steinbach and the Hanover School Division. Ardies adds HSD will end up having spent $175,000.

"So they (Manitoba Games Committee) have been busy applying for funding and looking for grants. So they've had to come up with some money for the track."

Ardies explains, he too feels this will be great for HSD after the games.

"We will have a beautiful facility here that will be an all weather track and will allow our students to use the facility much more than they have in the past. So that's a huge plus for us. Plus there will be a fabulous playing field on the infield of the track which I can well visualize as a soccer pitch."

Jason Peters of Steinbach Parks and Recreation says construction can now start and their goal is for the track to be completed by September.

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