Kezar Stadium And Track Improvements Reach Home Stretch

Kezar Stadium And Track Improvements Reach Home Stretchvia Rec & Park
Walter Thompson
Published on February 23, 2015

After several months of renovations, the Department of Recreation & Parks has announced that the Kezar Track Improvement Project is now in the home stretch, after some delays “due to recent rains and wind storms.” The track and field have been closed to the public since work began in September.

Using money from the city’s General Fund, the track and stadium improvements will add a rubberized running track, along with improved drainage, drinking fountains and revamped site furnishings. As of two weeks ago, crews were working seven days per week to keep up with the project’s timeline due to January's weather delays.

This month, Mondo lanes are in the process of being installed on the track. Named after their Italian manufacturer, who provided tracks for 10 consecutive Olympic games, Mondo lanes are pre-fabricated track sections. According to sprinter Michael Johnson, Mondo tracks are “a magic carpet,” so San Francisco’s joggers should be in for a treat.

After the new rubberized running surface is ready, Parks & Rec will start painting stripes along the Mondo lanes, replace the goal posts and renovate the long-jump pits and area for pole vaulting. Assuming work continues at its current pace, the stadium and track should be open for public use in “early March.”

Built in 1925, Kezar once had seating for 60,000 spectators who cheered for everything from 49ers football to Led Zeppelin during the stadium’s heyday. In 1989, the stadium was pared back to what we see today; a track and field with a 10,000-person capacity that’s free for community use.