(Courtesy of Sapienza family.)
Following a long and thorough renovation, the Anthony B. Sapienza Memorial Track and Athletic Field at Haverhill High School will be formally rededicated during a ceremony next week.
School Committee member Toni Sapienza-Donais, daughter of the man for whom the track is named, made the announcement at Thursday’s School Committee meeting.
“I’m pleased to announce that we are going to have our official ribbon-cutting ceremony at Sapienza Memorial Track on Wednesday, May 12, at 2:45 p.m., at the entrance to the track. I’m so proud that this was able to come to fruition after a long time and I thank the mayor for making that happen,” she said.
Sapienza-Donais said Mayor James J. Fiorentini will open the ceremonies which include special guest speaker Tom Derderian, a world class runner and author of the books “Boston Marathon: The First Century of the World’s Premier Running Event” and “Boston Marathon: 100 Years of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers: 1897-1996.” A ceremonial lap around the new track illustrates the passing of the baton followed by introduction of Sapienza’s family, Haverhill High School Track Team seniors, ribbon cutting and scholarship raffle.
Some of the improvements completed during the renovation include installation of a state-of-the-art polyurethane surface on the track and D areas inside of the track and the addition of a new lane to what was a seven-lane track. Several field event areas were also relocated, including the pole vault, high jump, long jump and triple jump, which are now all inside the track. New pads, nets and cages were also installed for the shot put and discus throwing areas.
The track was originally named in memory of Anthony Sapienza, a former high school math teacher and cross country coach, in 1987. Sapienza ran more than 1,000 races in his lifetime including the Boston Marathon in 1958, where he finished fourth overall.