By this time next month, if all goes as planned, Gordon Central will have a brand new track around Ratner Field.

The new track, which has been eight years in the making since coach John Rainwater took over the Warrior and Lady Warrior program, should be installed just before football season.

The plan to replace the current track, which was installed in the late 1990s, was approved at the last school board meeting, and work began last Monday. The crews started by taking up the old surface, which was completed by Friday. On Monday, the crews completed its final grading, marking and asphalt pour, and now must wait 21 days for the curing and setting process before the new rubber surface can be laid over the top to complete the new track.

“This has been an eight-year process since I took over as head coach,” said Rainwater. “Once I got here, I told the school board that within two years we would need a new track. With other projects in the county that were higher priorities and also the recession, there was finally an opportunity recently that we couldn’t pass up.”

The new track is being installed by Polytan, a German-based company with the U.S. headquarters here in Calhoun. The new Gordon Central track will serve as a showcase track for the company, which allowed the project to be done at a cheaper price, and the Gordon County School System took advantage of the opportunity.

In all, Gordon Central will receive a new track as well as new surfaces in the two long jump running lanes and pole vault lane and a high jump area that will be twice the size of the previous one.

“The most noticeable change will be the bigger high jump area which will allow us to do more during practice time and even allow for two high jump competitions to occur at the same time in bigger meets,” said Rainwater. “The track surface itself will be more uniform from the inside to outside lane as opposed to it being thicker as it went out on the previous track. That uniformity and the firmness will make it a faster track.”

The type of track that is being installed at Gordon Central is the same that is run on at Auburn, LSU and Florida State, as well as the same as the track at Jefferson High, which hosts the Georgia Boys State Track Meet. Rainwater said being a showcase track for the company will bring a lot of eyes on Gordon Central.

“It allows universities and other schools to come and look at our facility,” said Rainwater. “It will give us an opportunity to publicize our program, but more importantly our athletes.”

Those interested in donating money for the new track or for questions, contact Rainwater at 678-986-8539 or at jrainwater@gcbe.org.