La Jolla High School Principal Dana Shelburne has reopened the school’s track for public use after discussing conditions with residents at a Nov. 1 community meeting and forming a group called Friends of La Jolla Track.
After spending $90,000 on resurfacing, Shelburne said he was forced to chain the area because residents ignored posted signs, bringing animals, bicycles and generally ruining the track. But after many runners wrote letters, Shelburne called a meeting to find a solution.
Professor Igor Grant of the University of California, San Diego has been utilizing the school’s track every Sunday, until he found it closed one morning. Grant attended the public meeting, and was instrumental in helping to find a solution, Shelburne said. About 40 people formed a group at that meeting, calling themselves Friends of La Jolla Track.
“It was my desire that this campus in as many ways as possible be an asset to the community,” Shelburne said. “We established the rules early on in the meeting.”
Being close to the situation, the principal said the meeting was beneficial because he saw different ways to explain the rules to members of the community who may not be following them.
“It was a good-natured conversation and everyone was happy,” Shelburne said. “We have 40 Friends of La Jolla Track who have a keen interest in keeping the track open.”
To keep the track open, the newly formed group will call a phone number if they notice any problems or rules being broken. Also, if problems occur, Shelburne said he will send out an e-mail to the members to come up with a solution.
Although the Friends group doesn’t want to police the track, the members want to keep it open, Shelburne said.
Some of the rules the group came up with include: no bikes on the track, no dogs, no roller skates or skateboards, and the track can be used from dawn to dusk but not while high school events are in progress. In addition to finalizing some rules, Shelburne said three people are willing to pay for the larger signs.
For more information about the LJHS track, e-mail Principal Shelburne at [email protected]. The number to the school’s campus police is (619) 291-7678.