Auckland high schools have logged repeated complaints about cracked running tracks and outdated throwing circles at multiple sites this month.
Participation in secondary athletics has climbed steadily since 2023, yet funding for resurfacing and new equipment has not kept up in the same neighbourhoods where most events occur.
Local tracks under pressure
At Auckland Grammar School on Mountain Road the main 400-metre circuit still carries the original 2014 surface, now showing visible splits that force athletes to train on adjacent grass. Nearby, the field at St Peter's College in Epsom relies on portable hurdles stored in a shipping container because permanent storage was never built into the 2008 redevelopment plan.
Further north, the athletics area at Westlake Boys High School in Takapuna received a partial lane resurfacing in late 2025 at a reported cost of $480,000, yet the long-jump pits remain the original sand boxes that require daily raking by volunteers.
These sites host the bulk of Auckland Secondary Schools Athletics Association meets, including the annual zonal championships scheduled for September.
Numbers and costs
Association records show 4,200 registered competitors across 68 schools in the 2025 season, a 19 percent increase from 2022. Council data released in May lists 11 public or school tracks in the Auckland region needing major work, with an average quoted repair bill of $650,000 per venue.
Schools must apply through the Ministry of Education's property fund, where decisions for the 2027 budget round close in October.
Parents and coaches can check the Auckland Secondary Schools Athletics Association website for the next facilities working group meeting on 28 July at the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, where the agenda includes submissions on track priorities for the coming year.
