The revamped Lompoc Community Track and Field provides an outdoor exercise zone for people to work out and spend time with friends and family.
“The idea was to create a safe space that was well lit when it was dark, that was free, that was accessible and centrally located in the heart of the community,” said Ashley Costa, Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization’s co-chair and executive director.
“We wanted it to be a place for people to recreate, to play, to exercise, to congregate, to have a space to come together and be healthy.”
The track and field, which used to have a red clay track with a grass field, got a facelift after the Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization’s (LHVO) capital campaign—which raised about $1.7 million—and the Lompoc Unified School District contributed about $2 million, she said. Construction finished in June 2020, which created a nine-lane track with quality material, replaced the old grass field with artificial turf, and installed outdoor exercise equipment for a community exercise zone.
“It’s been years now since we’ve had it complete. Like most capital campaigns, there was a lot of planning and infrastructure being put in place,” Costa said. “The vision for the capital campaign was never just to raise the money and have the construction complete. The vision for the capital campaign was to see the facility being utilized both by student athletes, physical education students, but also community members and community organizations.”
LHVO is still working to make sure the facility is being used in order to “reach that vision.” Previously, Costa and her team tried hosting events like a senior health and fitness day, a family health and fitness day, and inviting the YMCA to hold yoga and Zumba classes, she said.
“This time, we’re shifting our focus to say, ‘Hey, don’t forget this is open to you,’ and there’s so many ways people can think to use it,” Costa said.
With the facility’s new extended summer hours, people can experiment with stair workouts, family games, or even taking phone calls or bringing meetings to the track to get steps in during the day as ways to use the track and field, she said.
“We believe where we work, where we recreate, where we learn, impacts our health and quality of life. Healthier people produce better economic outputs, consume fewer health care resources, and lead better and longer lives,” Costa said.
Lompoc has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the county, and rates got worse after COVID-19 for both children and adults, she added. Practicing habits like exercise and physical activity could help improve health outcomes.
“Making a decision to get out to the facility, to have fun, to enjoy this resource built for the community, you’re also making a decision to make a happier, healthier life,” Costa said.
The community track and field is also complete with water bottle refill stations, plentiful parking at an accessible location, and restrooms on-site, she added. The facility is open from 6 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday, and Tuesday through Friday from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday hours are from noon to 8:30 p.m. It will be closed on holidays, and hours may shift depending on whether it’s being used by the school district, she added.
“The facility is also available for reservation. If you have a sports team and you want to reserve it for practices, there is a fee that the school district charges, but it’s cheaper for community groups and nonprofits to reserve it for a team practice or game,” Costa said.
Visit healthylompoc.org to sign up for a monthly newsletter that provides more information about the track and other community health opportunities.
Highlight
• The Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) recently had its $155 million, eight-year business plan approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. The plan will support the region with energy efficiency opportunities to help reach local and state energy efficiency goals. 3C-REN will launch three new programs to fill gaps in energy efficiency services for commercial and public sector buildings, and the agricultural sector. The three new programs include technical support for the agriculture sector, energy efficiency for small- and medium-sized businesses in leased or rented facilities, and help identify energy savings and resilience opportunities for commercial and public sector buildings. 3C-REN will continue its Energy Code Connect, Building Performance Training, Single-Family Home Energy Savings, and Multi-Family Home Energy Savings programs throughout the Tri-County region.
Reach Taylor O’Connor at [email protected].
