SLO County elementary school wants new track, soccer field for PE classes. It needs your help
A San Luis Obispo County elementary school could get a new track and soccer field — but it needs the community’s help to get there.
According to a news release from the Oceano Community Services District, the idea to install a new track at Oceano Elementary School started in 2021 by the “Safe Routes to Schools Committee” of the school’s Parent Teacher Association.
Those efforts culminated in 2024, when the Lucia Mar Unified School District and Habitat for Humanity agreed to work on the new track, with the district leading the efforts and the Oceano CSD’s District Parks and Recreation Committee leading fundraising efforts, according to the release.
With a fundraising goal of $100,000, the partners are looking to get the community’s support going forward — but some progress has already been made.
Oceano PTA president Nicolle Olson, who has two kids at Oceano Elementary in the TK and third grade classes, said she’s happy to see the school she attended in her youth pursue a meaningful expansion of its options for its students health and fitness.
“When (the Oceano CSD) brought up building the track at the school, I was all for it, because it opens up a place that the community can come use it as well as the kids during PE,” Olson said. “I was super excited to be a part of that.”
How can you help new track project?
Though the project will be on Oceano Elementary School’s grassy field south of the school buildings, the track will be available to the public during daylight hours when school is not in session, according to the release.
During the daytime, students at Oceano Elementary School will use the new facilities for physical education.
So far, a total of $57,000 of the $100,000 price tag has been collected, according to the release.
The county’s Preventative Health fund awarded the partners $25,000 for the design, engineering, and permitting of the project, while an unnamed Oceano resident donated $25,000 of their own money to the project, according to the release.
Outside of pure financial considerations, local construction companies have offered to review the plan for the new track and offer support where they can, according to the release.
Another $10,000 from an Oceano PTA fundraiser held last month is coming soon, getting the project around two-thirds of the way to its goal, Olson said.
The most recent supporter? Miner’s Ace Hardware.
“We have a history of strong interest in supporting our communities, emphasizing our youth,” Miners’ spokesperson Tahirih Ellison said in the news release. “This project aligns with our vision of support, and for this reason, I am pleased to share that Miner’s would like to donate $5,000 to the Oceano School Community Track and Soccer Fields Project Fundraiser.”
Olson said she and the PTA are grateful for the community’s help getting the project to where it is now; even if community members aren’t able to support the project with their wallets, word of mouth can get the project to its fundraising goal.
“Every dollar adds up, so even if it’s just a little bit, your support can help and maybe spur on somebody else that wants to help but didn’t even know about it,” Olson said.
While the project is looking to break ground in 2025, no deadline for fundraising has been provided.
Donations to the project — which are tax-deductible — can be made in cash or checks starting at $10 to the order of “Oceano Elementary School” with a memo of “OES Track,” according to the donation form for the project.
Any donations should be mailed to the Lucia Mar Unified School District care of the business department at 602 Orchard Street, Arroyo Grande, CA, 93420.
For more information on the track, including donation forms for tax deductions, visit www.oceanocsd.org/oceano-community-track-and-field-project.
