Carbonear surprised by Summer Games slight
By Craig Westcott
November 17, 2023 Edition
Members of Carbonear council are disappointed their town’s running track has been deemed inadequate to handle the track and field portion of the Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games next year.
Councillor Danielle Doyle used the occasion of fellow councillor Malcolm Seymour’s recreation committee report Wednesday to voice her displeasure at the decision.
“I was disappointed to see that the Town of Carbonear’s track couldn’t be used for the upcoming Summer Games being hosted by the Town of Bay Roberts,” Doyle said. “I thought that was a nice opportunity for us to help them. And I know no one here can answer the question, and you share in the frustration… but there has been two Summer Games that have taken place here. I was co-coach of track and field with two other residents in the last Summer Games and there were no issues with that track using the five lanes. So, I think it’s unfortunate that the decision was made for it to be moved to the City of Mount Pearl when we have a perfectly good track here.”
Doyle noted the decision was not made by the Town of Bay Roberts but rather the sports association that represents track and field.
Seymour shared Doyle’s frustration.
“We did do what was expected of us to correspond back and forth through the CAO and our committee and every time we went back it just wasn’t good enough,” Seymour said. “What you’re saying is true; for years here we were okay with five (lanes), but now because we don’t have a sixth one it’s not good enough.”
Seymour allowed it’s probably not worth the Town spending another half a million dollars to add a lane so that the track can be used for the Summer Games every 12 years or so. “We just can’t do that at this present moment,” he said. “And I don’t understand why we can use it for every other kind of game, but when it comes to this stuff, it’s just not good enough.”
On the positive side, Seymour pointed out, the Games will be using the Carbonear pool for some events.