30th Anniversary of the Go-Cart Track
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We celebrated by serving up hot dogs, drinks, fun, and a special night of go-carting to all active duty members nd their families.
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It was 30 years ago on October 2018 that our Navy League council dedicated the Go-Cart Track and golf driving range at Naval Air Facility El Centro. The track and range were constructed for the men and women and their families who were stationed at or transiting through the Base.
The Council, together with the Base Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department, Public Works, active duty Sailors, and a base contractor contributed funding, equipment, volunteer hours -- and a boatload of "blood, sweat, and tears" according to Captain Michael R. Boston.
It was during the late 1980's that the Department of Defense was undergoing austere budgeting, and projects such as the track and driving range were simply not being funded and built. It was the Base Public Works Department who designed the facility, and turned their diagrams over to the Council. The Council in turn, worked with local engineers to finalize the design with the approval of the Base Commanding Officer.
Approximately 12 acres of land on the base was laser leveled, and heavy equipment was brought in to dig over three miles of irrigation piping and sprinkler heads for the track and golf driving range. Land on the Base was built up for the raised portions of the 1/4-mile track, and 344-tons of asphalt were used to construct the basic track area. Lighting, fencing and safety features were installed in both the track and driving range.
The project began construction in early 1988, with the largest part of construction occurring during the summer of 1988. Despite the use of heavy equipment, and temperatures in excess of 110 degrees, it was sheer physical labor that turned the desert into a recreational oasis.
The total cost of the project was estimated at $225,500 for both the track and range with approximately 1545 man-hours expended for construction.
Though the driving range has since been replaced with a skate park, the GoCart Track remains as a reminder of the cooperative spirit of the local community through the Navy League to provide support to the Base.
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