Nick Gentry (no pics) South London Harriers have announced proposals to build an all-purpose running track in Coulsdon.

The athletics club has teamed up with Woodcote High School, where the track will be built, for Project Track Coulsdon, which will be officially unveiled at a public meeting on July 21.

The project was conceived after a former president John Jewell left 20 per cent of his estate to the club when he died.

“It was a tremendous gesture and gave us a once in a generation opportunity to do something fundamentally different,” explains club chairman Peter Emery.

“Facilities are so important for athletics, you can't just go to the park and put some goal posts up.

“Athletic tracks are few and far between and they are quite expensive to build and to maintain.”

Despite the cost, Emery argues that the benefits of the track would reach far beyond South London Harriers and the school.

“The thing about the track is that it's somewhere safe for all ages and all groups to run," he said.

“The Coulsdon area is very busy and congested and is not always a safe environment for people to go running.

“The track would be an enclosed, safe area for people of all levels and ages to train.

"From beginners getting into the sport to elite level athletes.

“We're also looking at the possibility of disabled people using it.

"We've already had some approaches because they have very few areas despite the increasing influence of Paralympic sports.”

However, funding the project could prove to be a stumbling block with the Track Coulsdon team currently struggling to raise the money.

“We're seeking funds at the moment because although we have some money to put into the project, we have nothing like the £750,000 needed to build the track," says Emery.

“With the current economic situation there's not a lot of spare money floating around to fund such a project.

“We have approached a number of bodies who are able to give funding for this sort of project and discussions are ongoing.

“But if we can't get funding then the whole thing won't be able to go ahead."

The meeting takes places at Harriers' clubhouse in Brighton Road, Coulsdon, at 7.30pm.