The Vernon track and field club get's underway April 3rd at 6pm. Please arrive 30 min early for pre-registration. Registration forms can be found here.

On Monday April 2nd at 5:30pm (registration) we will be having our first track practice of the year. If you are looking for more info on the club fees please go to the registration tab. We are looking forward to seeing all the returning and new athletes who will be joining us this year.

If you would like to download the 2012 registration forms please look below this post and click on 2012 Track Reg Forms.

• 2012 Track Registration Forms (0 download)

Okanagan College has received Agricultural Land Commission permission to allow use of a portion of its Vernon campus for development of a community-owned $7.8 million multi-use sports facility.

The College learned of the ALC's decision late Tuesday. The decision pertains to a 5.8-hectare portion of the campus that is within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The property is bordered by Highway 97 and College Way.

_{Okanagan College has received permission from the Agricultural Land Commission to use a portion of the Vernon campus for a Multi-use sports facility - welcome news to OC President Jim Hamilton. Photo: Contributed}

"This is welcome news," says Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton. "When we announced the concept of this project last December with our partners from the Regional District, Coldstream and Vernon, we acknowledged that there are several hurdles to overcome. Given that our Board had agreed to lease the property to the Regional District over the next 40 years, the first major one was to obtain Agricultural Land Commission permission for a non-conforming use on the property in question."

Initially, in March this year, the ALC said no, but a subsequent reconsideration at the College's request led to this decision. The College and the Regional District supplied additional information about further anticipated demand for agricultural land for sports, parks and recreation facilities within the Greater Vernon area.

"Clearly, there is significant support for this concept," says Jane Lister, Okanagan College's North Okanagan Regional Dean. "We can see benefits for the communities we serve, as well as for our students and the campus. The project's progress is now in the hands of Greater Vernon Services, the Regional District, Vernon and Coldstream."

The proposed facility includes an Olympic size rubberized track, a lighted artificial playing field and a field house. It also incorporates track and field facilities, and bleachers.

The ALC set two conditions on the approval of the non-conforming use:

• that topsoil be retained on the site and be used to develop the fields, or stored in berms at the edge of the site

• that the facility be developed within three years.

Thank you for stopping by the Vernon Track and Field Club website. We are currently working on updating the new website.

Please check back in January and we should have the website in full operation.

Vernon Track and Field Club will be having their first Track Practice of the Year on Monday April 4th, 6:00pm at the polson oval. Registration forms are now posted in the Registration tab. We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday April 4th, 2011. If you have any further questions please feel free to email Brent Helland at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The JU track & field team continues to build its roster for next year by signing distance runner Sarah Bailey (Vernon, British Columbia) for the 2011-12 season.

Bailey posted a personal best time of 2:15.09 as a junior at the Kajaks International Track Classic in Richmond, British Columbia. She also ran a personal best time of 4:45.33 in the Legion Canadian Youth Track and Field Championships (Ottawa, Ontario).

“We are excited for Sarah to join our cross country and track programs,” said JU head coach Ron Grigg. “She is an exceptional student who will study biology/pre-med and be a member of the honors program. We hope she will continue our recent successes in the middle-distance events.”

: Bailey is the second signee to join the Dolphins for next season after Sally Marie Futch (Statesboro, Ga., throws) committed to JU last month.

The current Dolphins will return to action on Saturday with the UCF Black & Gold Challenge in Orlando, Fla.

Vernon Track and Field Club will be having their first Track Practice of the Year on Monday April 4th, 6:00pm at the polson oval. Registration forms will be posted by March 15th. We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday April 4th, 2011. If you have any further questions please feel free to email Brent Helland at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

from l to r (Jim Hamilton, President Okanagan College; Jim Garlick, Mayor District of Coldstream; Herman Halvorsen, Chair Regional District North Okanagan; John Lent, Regional Dean Okanagan College.

The North Okanagan Regional District has entered into a 40-year lease with Okanagan College to use 10 acres at the Kalamalka campus for a running track, sports field and other activities. However, a number of obstacles must be overcome first, including going to referendum to borrow $7.8 million.

“We need to answer people’s concerns and talk to them about why this is a benefit,” said Jim Garlick, Coldstream mayor, adding that there is a need for residents to rally around the project.

“Go out and talk to your friends and neighbours and think about why this makes sense.”

The plan calls for an Olympic-size, rubberized running track; an artificial turf field for football, soccer, rugby and field lacrosse; facilities for high-jumping, pole-vault and discus-throwing; covered seating for 400 spectators; a 4,575-square-foot field house with change rooms; and a 1,948-square-foot building with washrooms and meeting space.

However, there is no timeline for a referendum or construction as Coldstream council must first submit an application to the Agricultural Land Commission to allow for a non-conforming use within the Agricultural Land Reserve.

Council is expected to discuss the matter as early as Monday, and Garlick supports the land being used for recreational activities.

“It’s part of the college, it’s not under irrigation and the potential for pure agriculture is limited,” he said, adding that it hasn’t been used for crops in decades.

“It would be too simplistic to say it’s agriculture and we have to leave it as agriculture.”

Concern among some residents about the loss of agricultural land played a role in a sports complex being shot down on Aberdeen Road in 2007. However, Garlick doesn’t expect the same debate about the current proposal.

“It’s a different location and facility. It’s smaller and it fits the community better,” he said, pointing out that it is some distance from homes and has highway access.

Garlick is also convinced the sports facility can act as a catalyst for growth at the college, including new programs and a demonstration farm.

“I want agriculture taught at the college,” he said.

There is the possibility that a referendum could be held in conjunction with civic elections in November 2011. Borrowing $7.8 million would work out to about $17 extra annually over 20 years for the average home in Greater Vernon.

Okanagan College officials believe the facility could benefit students by providing recreational and competitive opportunities.

“It’s also possible that we could look at running athletic development programs,” said president Jim Hamilton.

The prospect of an Olympic-sized track is good news for the Vernon Amateur Athletic Association.

“This will be a Mondo track and in the track world, that’s fast,” said Ian Cameron, with the Vernon Amateur Athletic Association.

The current track at Polson Park is not regulation size, and Cameron says the new facility could be used by youth, senior athletes, Special Olympics and recreational walkers, and it could host special events.

“The B.C. Summer Games would be a great thing for the community to hold,” he said.

The lack of a regulation-sized field has also been a challenge for the Vernon Minor Football Association.

“This is great for the youth of the community,” said Bill Tarr, with the association, of the proposal.

Other groups supporting the facility are the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre for off-season training, the Vernon Jubilee Hospital cardio program, the Kal Rats running club and the school district.

Wayne Lippert, Vernon mayor, says it’s important for football and track sports to move ahead.

“I support the facility but council has not talked about it. The college is a good site for the facility,” he said.

This Report is from The Vernon Morning Star!

Jared Sexsmith began the year with a 128-centimetre personal best high jump. After that, he just kept raising the bar.

The 12-year-old member of the Vernon AAA Track & Field Club was honored at the B.C. Junior Development Awards Banquet recently in Vancouver for clearing the 149-cm standard set by the committee. He was one of eight male athletes, and the lone high jumper, to receive an award.

Sexsmith, coached by Ian Cameron, finished no worse than second in high jump at any club meet he went in this year, and won gold at the B.C. Junior Development Championships in Kamloops in August, shattering his personal best by 14 cm.

Sexsmith was also honored earlier this fall at the Vernon club’s awards banquet, earning Most Improved Male Athlete and the Most Valuable Athlete (9-14 age group).