Amherst Regional High School track opens after $4.1M rebuild, but no home meets yet

AMHERST — Practices for Amherst Regional High School’s track team are taking place on a new eight-lane track, the first use for the recently completed $4.11 million facility.

But even though student-athletes have been able to get out on the track for after-school training, the team will continue to only have away meets for this season. The last home meet took place in 2018, before the track’s deteriorating condition left it unsuitable for sanctioned events.

School and town officials are using some caution, in particular because the track is just one component of a site that includes a north-south playing field with a natural grass surface inside the track, and a second new playing field, also with grass, west of the track.

Seth Keevaenthal, who handles communications for the school district, said temporary fencing will remain up through the spring while the seeded grass and turf get established.

He expects the public should be able to access the track over the summer, when school-related activities are not taking place, but all of the grass areas will be off limits until the fall. 

The new track, built by M.J. Cataldo Inc. of Littleton, replaces the latex-covered asphalt track built in 1999 that had continued to be used for practices, but not for high school meets.

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