All-weather track a worthy, viable project

Hanging on the wall in my office in Ritzville is a brochure outlining plans for a multi-million dollar sports complex. The plans include a state of the art baseball complex north of the high school, upgrades to the current football facilities, installation of an all-weather track, grounds improvements to accommodate large track meets, etc… The plans are very detailed and, if implemented, will provide the community of Ritzville with one of the finest athletic facilities in the state.

As impressive as the plans are, however, my initial thoughts are, “I wonder how the district and the community plan to accomplish such lofty goals.”

Please don’t get me wrong. During my first year as superintendent of Lind and Ritzville, I have been thoroughly impressed by the community support and the desire to find ways to improve both communities. I am also impressed that there are groups of people who are willing to dream big and propose ideas, rather than sit back and watch things deteriorate and wonder what could have been done.

In my opinion, the best way to accomplish a large-scale project like the initial proposal from Project 56 is to prioritize and divide the work into smaller, more attainable projects. At the recent Project 56 meeting I attended, that is exactly what the conversation was about. How can the group continue its mission toward improving the athletic facilities? What is the priority? During this meeting it became very clear that the most realistic and attainable goal would be to work toward completing an all-weather track and providing small upgrades to the grounds and facilities around the track (underground sprinklers, fencing, etc…).

Personally, I believe the plan to focus on the completion of an all-weather track is the right move for Project 56. My initial impression upon first seeing the football field and track was, “Wow, what a great facility with a lot of potential.” Imagine the track meets that could be held and the contestants and spectators that it would bring to the community. Imagine the opportunities for community members to walk, jog, or run on a state of the art surface.

As mentioned, I have been very impressed by the efforts of Project 56 and the many community members who have supported their mission and work. I believe the goal of raising $170,000 to complete the track project is very attainable. My first personal contribution of 2012 will be to Project 56 and the all-weather track project.

With a focus on an attainable goal, I feel this is something we, as a community, can and should get behind. Please know that any amount of money or support will go a long way toward making this dream become a reality. I hope you will join me in supporting the work of Project 56.

Rob Roettger, Superintendent Lind-Ritzville Schools