UPDATE: Quick thank you too all of those who are complying with the new rules and are helping keep the track in good shape!
If you haven’t seen it already Pine Banks has added something new to the park, that is a sandwich board stating that no wheels of any kind are allowed on the track anymore. Now hold on a second, before you start thinking that this is unfair or that these new rules came out of nowhere, let me start by saying that Pine Banks has always held a “no wheels” policy and we have found that since many people were unaware of this rule we needed to make it more apparent to the public. So then why does the rule exist at all? Well, Precision Sports Surfaces Inc., one of the best running track manufacturers, has a policy, “If it has wheels on it, it does not belong on the track.” Their reasoning for this is because the rubber surface of the track isn’t built to withstand the, “tire friction,” and, “lateral stress,” that wheels put on a track. SportsTurf Online, a site that provides information and advice to field managers, agrees that any misuse of the track can lead to damage.
“Because many facilities are open for community use, more than runners and walkers will take advantage. Dog walkers may use the field, and parents with children in strollers (or older children on tricycles and bicycles) and others may want to use the track. All these undesirable uses will have a negative effect on the facility, and on the ability of athletes to use it for its intended purpose. Be vigilant about enforcing the rules.” -SportsTurf Online
We at Pine Banks Park are not looking to turn people away from the park, we just want to be able to preserve and keep the track in as good condition as possible. When it comes to anything with wheels, we have plenty of paved trails in the wooded areas of Pine Banks that we welcome you to use. Not to mention the perimeter of Pine Banks is also a great place to take your bike or stroller. If you still have any questions or concerns about this matter that were not already addressed please email: [email protected].
References:
http://www.precisionsurfaces.com/pdf/Track_Use_and_Maintenance_Guidelines.pdf