Like many health-conscious Oak Harbor residents Hannah Tommila makes her way to the high school track on a regular basis to workout.

But like most who run or walk the track, Tommila uses it simply because it’s the only option in Oak Harbor.

“This one sucks,” she said. “This one’s been used too many times, it will be really nice to have a new one.”

Tommila and the rest of community will soon have that option as a brand new North Whidbey Middle School track nears completion.

According to Oak Harbor School District construction manager Gary Goltz, the project which began June 18, should wrap up by Aug. 24.

The new track will be significantly different from what Oak Harbor’s used to.

Instead of the worn, hard black surface that was once at NWMS and is currently at OHHS, the new track will be composed of a rubberized spray-on surface. Similar to other area tracks at Mount Vernon and Arlington high schools, the all-weather surface provides a much softer cushion and is said to last longer.

The new NWMS track will also be different from the old one in that it will be moved eight feet to the west and will be 400 meters instead of its out-dated 440 yards.

The $497,000 track will feature a grass surface in the middle with goal posts on the inside like it did before, but will not have field event stations — at least right away.

Goltz said the construction costs got too high to put field event areas in, but it is something that can be done over time.

“Those are some of the things that we could do in-house or with volunteer work, right now we’re just wanting to tackle the big beast and get a new track put in,” he said.

Because there will be no field event stations right away, Oak Harbor athletic director Bob Smithson said the only meets that will able to be conducted there will be of the relay variety, meaning just running events. That is more than the high school has had of late, however, as they haven’t hosted a league meet in over three years.

“It’s still going to be a great, improved track,” Smithson said.

He was also quick to note that it will not only benefit the local schools.

“It’s going to be a great addition for the community as a whole,” Smithson said.

The original plans for the North Whidbey project also included a community baseball/softball field to replace the one that made way for the new NWMS.

That area has been cleared and is being worked on voluntarily be Corey Johnson and Island Construction.