Board hears students and staff press for repairs after early wear on Sheehan High track

A student and several community members told the Wallingford Board of Education on July 28 that the track at Sheehan High School is showing significant deterioration less than two years after installation, and asked the district to fix safety hazards before the school year begins. "I did walk the track today," Superintendent Belizzi said, "I did take a look at it." Belizzi and staff said they are pursuing repairs under the installation contract where possible.

The concerns centered on a large area where a section of the track surface lifts and a ‘‘crease’’ or wrinkle on a curve that some speakers described as a cracking hazard. Student Dylan Vasquez, who identified himself as a Sheehan student and pole-vaulter, asked whether anyone had inspected the track and what would be done to make it safe for future athletes. "Has anybody come to the track to see what's causing the issue?" he asked during public comment.

Why it matters: Board members and the public said the surface failure creates a safety risk for…