Musings on the new track facility and St. FX football

Five years and a supposed $3 million later, proponents of the new track and field facility in Stellarton have the finish line in sight. With the facility's opening slated for the spring of 2010, the rubberized track, the dream of Pictou County Recreation and Athletic Society, will be the cornerstone of track and field in Pictou County - however large or small that contingent may be.
They obviously worked hard at it, and while others might have fallen by the wayside, this group was dogged in their determination to get it done. They certainly deserve credit for that.
On the minus side - there's always a minus side - there is the possibility that only the most serious of track and field athletes (a relatively small number, to be honest about it) will reap the full rewards from having what is being called a "first class" facility in our midst. Lots of students will be able to access the track, but how many of those will be serious enough about their sport that it will make much of a difference? We'll know in time. Perhaps the word out phrase, "if you build it, they will come" will apply here.
Some will point out that tax dollars used for the complex could have been better used (more than $1.6 million in government money, according to some reports). There will be some who take issue with that, but I won't, because you don't have to think very long to find all sorts of examples of government mishandling your cash. Admittedly that's a small justification, but like I say about that brick monstrosity known as Glasgow Square amphitheatre: once the thing was constructed, it was too late to cry over flushed money so we might as well make the best of it.
Boosters of the track also say it will be a great place for seniors to go walking, which may be true, although it should be pointed out there are walking trails everywhere in Pictou County, with plenty of scenic wonders to take in (the trails meandering in back of the Steeltown Park in Trenton are a prime example. (Umm, the park's still there, isn't it? There are trees still standing in the park, right?)
Working with a by-the-seat-of-their-pants tight budget, construction cost overruns at the track and field facility has meant that another $100,000 will be needed in order to buy equipment: mats, hurdles, timers and the like. As well, there are reports that down the road, the Society will need volunteers to help maintain the track. Such bumps in the road aren't that uncommon, and it's far too late in the race to give up now.
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Our trip to Antigonish for the St.FX/Acadia football fest went very well on Saturday. Nice day, noisy Homecoming crowd, X-Men romped to an easy win. Granted, I thought the current St. FX quarterback did some things I wouldn't have done (like throw into triple coverage - obviously he's been watching the Browns play), but he was solid after a turnover-filled start and I was proud of old #3.
We also kept on eye on #53, linebacker Tom Lynch, the former Junior B Scotian who hits like a truck on defence (and special teams too, which makes a throwback proud).
They have a nice new field at St. FX, but on the minus side - there's always a minus side - the days are gone when rainy autumn games led to a mucky grass field and players slipping and sliding over the place.
Prior to kickoff, we were standing in a rather long lineup to get tickets when someone in our group said, "hey, Peter MacKay's in line behind us." And someone else mentioned that it was nice he could stand with the commoners (it might have been me). But soon, someone came along to fetch Peter and his Peeps and ushered them through the gate, saving him a few minutes of standing in line, and perhaps nine bucks for his ticket.
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Two teams that usually wouldn't strike me as very interesting had a heck of a playoff game Tuesday night; the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers battled through 12 innings in one-game, loser-goes-home showdown. Clutch pitching and sparkling defensive plays, a Twins comeback and nerve-rattling moments in extra innings showed that in terms of pure sports drama, few things match October baseball. They'll have to work hard the next three weeks to present baseball as compelling as that game. I still say the New York Yankees are the best team in baseball, but the underdog small-market Twins, who put on a late September stretch drive to overtake the Tigers, are a team worth cheering for.