Race to be ready for Trials is on pace so far.

Byline: Bob Rodman The Register-Guard

From top to bottom, track and field's historic Hayward Field is well into its $8 million facelift.

In less than a year's time, the facility will roll out the welcome mat for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials - the primary motivator for the refurbishing of Hayward.

"Everything has been driven by the fact that in order to host major national competitions - the Trials, the USA meet and the NCAAs," said Michael Reilly, a University of Oregon assistant athletic director, "a lot of requirements needed to be met."

The Ducks, workers for McKenzie Commercial Contractors and Track City are meeting them head on.

Six weeks into the operation and after the removal of 9,000 cubic yards of old turf, cement and other materials, the renovation of Hayward is about "one-third of the way through," Reilly said on Thursday, surveying the project as he stood beneath the soon-to-be dismantled old scoreboard at the south end of the facility.

The roof on the East Grandstand is being replaced, as is some of the siding on the structure.

The bladed infield now is a collage of trenches, cement foundations for the jumps - long, triple and high - as well the javelin. Venues for the discus and shot put are being poured into existence.

The reconfiguration of the infield "is one of the first things that will stand out when people see the new facility," Reilly said.

And if you think you are seeing double in some instances, you are.

Two long jump/triple jump runways on the west side of the infield, two pole vault runways on the east, two high jump aprons at the south end of the infield and two shot rings just north of the high jump site.

"The facility needs to be able to conduct two simultaneous events," Reilly said. "In the Trials, that is the way the competition is staged."

The pouring of concrete continues, 600 cubic yards of the stuff. Ahead are the installation of the drainage mechanisms and turf (a real grass infield that will grow on a surface of 2,500 tons of sand), the resurfacing of the track (planned for next month), construction of media facilities, improvements to the hammer throw venue, renovation of the West Grandstand restrooms and the addition of a videoboard, planting it a bit south of the old scoreboard to accommodate more seating.

Bleachers will line the south end of the track, boosting Hayward Field's seating capacity to more than 15,000.

"We are very pleased with the progress," Reilly said.

The cost of the project was estimated by Reilly to be somewhere between $7 million and $8 million, and "I am confident about the funding," he said.

The pounding of hammers, clouds of dust from the exposed dry earth of the infield and the occasional hum of machinery echoed between the two grandstands on this warm and breezy day.

Reilly took it all in with a smile.

"Everything has gone well, been positive," he said. "There was a lot of planning time spent on making sure all the contract work would be coordinated."

If all continues to go well, Reilly said, most of the construction should be completed by Nov. 1 on the facility that staged the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1972, 1976 and 1980.

Reilly said the progress of the construction can be viewed by the public via a Web camera online at www.goducks.com.

By the time the University of Oregon begins its 2008 track and field season with the annual Preview meet on March 22, the new-look Hayward Field is expected to be ready to run.

"We want to position Hayward Field as the site that everybody first thinks about, that it is the place to go for a major meet," Reilly said. And we will soon have all the technical requirements to have those meets - the infield configuration, the stadium lighting for live telecasts, the videoboard, the media facilities and the seating.

"Couple all of that with Hayward's unparalleled atmosphere, the spectator knowledge and the history of the facility, we've really upgraded the home of track and field."

The Trials, scheduled for June 27-July 6, 2008, will be the first major national meet to benefit from Hayward's makeover. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for Hayward in 2010.

Reilly said that Hayward, once the project has been completed, will be available for use by the public, but use of the track will be limited.

"The track's surface must be protected," Reilly said. "Hayward belongs to more than just the Oregon track and field teams, but we need everybody's help in protecting the optimum surface for the Trials."