Central Park: 20+ softball fields, 0 running tracks. Why?

A Runner from NYC wrote:

With all the recreation options available in Central Park, it makes no sense to not have a standard .25 mile track.

If they're going to build a track, they should build a 400m track so that it can be used for competition.

Touche. You get my point, though.

Runners don't require tracks. In fact, many prefer to avoid them.

Where do you want them to put this track?

http://www.centralparknyc.org/maps/

I agree that they are obsessed with softball fields.

400m wrote:

A Runner from NYC wrote:

With all the recreation options available in Central Park, it makes no sense to not have a standard .25 mile track.

If they're going to build a track, they should build a 400m track so that it can be used for competition.

Quarter mile tracks are routinely used for competition.

What a moronic post. The park is filled with loops for running and the reservoir is dirt-packed trail of about 1.5 miles.

Why do they need to put in a running track? They deal with road races not track & field.

A Runner from NYC wrote:

With all the resources New York Road Runners has at its disposal and it's alleged mission of increasing access to the sport of running to everyone, why have they not pushed the Parks Department to build a decent .25 mile 8 lane track in their own backyard?

whatthewhatthewhat wrote:

The park is filled with loops for running and the reservoir is dirt-packed trail of about 1.5 miles.

The reservoir is overrun with tourists, people snapping photos, people walking in either direction, slow joggers, etc. You also can't go more than three wide on it, so if you've got a group of three walking side-by-side, you're slowing down and having to wait for people to get out of the way. Virtually impossible to run a workout there unless you're running before 6AM, after 9PM.

The park has a lot of great running options, but nothing that is flat for more than a quarter mile, and nothing with each 100m clearly marked to allow you to keep track of your pace.

NYRR hosts track races at both Icahn in the summer and the Armory in the winter, so the argument that they are only focused on road races is not on point.

move to Astoria, there is a track there beneath the Triboro Bridge. Plus, Astoria is infinitely cooler than the city.

Star wrote:

Where do you want them to put this track?

Take out two of the softball fields in the North Meadow and put it there. You can still use the infield for soccer or other field sports.

Or fill in part/all of the reservoir and put it there. The reservoir was created to provide drinking water to the city, but stopped serving that purpose in the early 90s. Today, it's basically wasted space.

You know why there's no track? Because runners are insane and instantly argue about whether it should be 400m vs. a quarter mile. A football booster would just write a check.

A Runner from NYC wrote:

Or fill in part/all of the reservoir and put it there.

Great idea!! Maybe fill in the East River and put a few in there too!

A Runner from NYC wrote:

Star wrote:

Where do you want them to put this track?

Take out two of the softball fields in the North Meadow and put it there. You can still use the infield for soccer or other field sports.

Or fill in part/all of the reservoir and put it there. The reservoir was created to provide drinking water to the city, but stopped serving that purpose in the early 90s. Today, it's basically wasted space.

That'll work.

Join here and work from with-in. Roll your sleeves up and get to work making it happen. Someone has to take the first step-- it might as well be you.

http://www.centralparknyc.org/?gclid=CJHs342Qw8ECFeRj7AoduzIA_g

Fill in that lake thing in the middle cause it is a stupid waste of space. On top of the filled in lake, put some softball fields. Then, bulldoze a few of the existing softball fields to make way for a 400 meter track.

That way, anyone who cries about how this missing looking at the stupid lake will blame softball players and not runners.

That's how you do a win-win.

Central Park doesn't need a track. The existing options are just fine. And at most times of day the reservoir oval isn't anywhere near as crowded as a previous poster indicated.

Plenty of softball fields and tennis courts around to allow for the track. You don't need to go filling the reservoir or the lake. As it stands, you have to go a long way out of your ways to get to a usable track in NYC, namely East 6th or West 138th? And Icahn Stadium is incredibly inconvenient to get to--especially when the pedestrian bridge is closed.

Whenever I go to NYC and do some sprints (the "North Hill", because for me it's safe up there. Too big to get attacked), I get to laugh about all those clowns doing their long distance jogging up there.

If they build a track, there would be even more clowns, probably all walking/slow jogging in lane 1.