“The best things happen when private and public entities work together,” Kentucky Wesleyan College President Bart Darrell told a packed Rogers Hall, which was full of faculty, media, and guests for a press conference held in Kentucky Wesleyan’s Winchester Building. Darrell announced a state-of-the-art track and field complex which will be a collaboration between Owensboro Public Schools, Kentucky Wesleyan College and Owensboro Health.
The complex will be built between Owensboro Middle School North and South campuses on South Griffith Avenue, where their current track is located. The new venue will be called the Owensboro Health Track and Field Complex and will be used by both OPS and Kentucky Wesleyan.
“Owensboro Public Schools and Kentucky Wesleyan are already neighbors, “ Darrell commented. “So this facility is a perfect fit.”
Kentucky Wesleyan Athletic Director Rob Mallory said both Owensboro High School and Kentucky Wesleyan will host home track meets, as well as potential KHSAA, Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and NCAA Division II post season events.
“For the college, this was our next step in building a quality track and field program,” Mallory said. Kentucky Wesleyan hired acclaimed track coach Tony Rowe last year.
Dr. Nick Brake, Superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools, added, “We believe in producing world-class facilities for our students. We are very excited about this new partnership with Kentucky Wesleyan. I love the thought of red, black, and purple.”
“For the first time ever, Owensboro and Daviess County will be able to host collegiate track and field competitions,” Darrell announced. “We are very grateful to have such an engaged community partner in Owensboro Health.”
The Owensboro Health Track & Field Complex will include a high-quality synthetic track surface, plus field event venues, a steeplechase pit, a runway for long and triple jumps, a javelin area, pole vault runway, and shot put and discus/hammer throw event pads, at a cost of approximately one million dollars. The RBS Design Group is serving as the architect for the project.
President Darrell thanked Owensboro Public Schools for reaching out to Kentucky Wesleyan, and Owensboro Health President and CEO Phillip Patterson for partnering to make it happen. “This facility is about more than just sports. We’re excited to be able to serve the community in this way,” he said.
There is no timetable for completion at this time.
