Damaged athletics track re-opens after £80k upgrade

RAMSGATE'S premier athletics track has officially re-opened its gates following a major £80,000 multi-agency restoration project.

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The 400m running track at the Royal Harbour Academy in Marlowe Way was forced into a sudden closure in March of last year.

The shutdown was triggered by severe localised damage to the running surface and a breakdown of the stadium's floodlighting system, which raised urgent health and safety concerns for local runners.

Now, following a year in the dark, a rescue funding partnership between Thanet District Council and the Coastal Academies Trust has brought the sporting asset back to life.

The council injected a crucial £40,000 capital grant directly into the project, ring-fenced specifically to repair, rebuild, and upgrade the vital floodlighting masts.

The remainder of the £80,000 total budget was used to completely resurface the full 400m track and install a new, modern, track drainage system to prevent future winter flooding.

The re-opening marks a huge victory for local sporting groups.