Alice Springs Regional All-Weather Sports Facility

In December 1984, the Central Australian Athletics Association released a business proposal to build an Alice Springs Regional All-Weather Sports Facility

The paper was researched and written by Stephen Huckerby. Kenneth Lechleitner, and Steve Dodt, a 21-year old Hurdler and President of the Association. The Foreword for the paper was written by Alice Springs born Hamish MacDonald OAM.

The strength of the 44 page paper was that it was a truly collaborative project with input from across the community, including the Association’s partners at the Centralian College (Charles Darwin University) and the Northern Territory Athletics Council. The paper covered Background on Athletics in the Region, Potential Usage (including cross sport), Requirements and Priorities, Installation Costs, Maintenance Costs and Income, Funding, Location and Management, Concluding Remarks, and a Summary of Recommendations.

The proposal had a groundswell of interest including from the following distinguished supporters:

• Robert de Castella – Director of the Australian Institute of Sport
• Brian Roe – Competitions Manager of Athletics Australia
• Dick Telford – Head of Sports Physiology at the Australian Institute of Sport
• Peter Doutre – Regional Manager of the Department of Social Security (Alice Springs)
• Ted Hampton – Director of the Arrente Council of Central Australia
• Noel Harris – President of the Alice Springs Running and Walking Club
• Peter McDonal – Treasurer of the Alice Springs Little Athletics Centre
• Jenny Kennedy – Athletics Co-Ordinator of the Honda Masters Games
• Tony MacDonald – Greening Australia
• Di McEwan – Director of Centralian College
• Dr Richard Lim – Greatorex MLA
• Roy Harvey – Development Director of Centralian College
• Daryl Gray – Alderman Alice Springs Council
• Paul Ashton – Central Australian Tourism Industry Association
• Jason Hellwig – General Manager of the Northern Territory Athletics Inc
• Barry Stanton – Board Member, Athletics Australia

In 2015, the Northern Territory Government allocated $2 million towards the track’s construction. On the 4th February 2022, the dream was finally realised with the opening of Swan Lane Running Track with the ongoing support to the proposal from Robyn Lambley MLA.

The 1994 proposal whilst took twenty years to reach construction was the first innovative project kick started by Canberra Sprint Coach, Steve Dodt. This passion and commitment has been an unstoppable driving force for the next 30 years, where Steve has been behind a number of innovations to Athletics that have benefited the whole community.