Oxnard High School

This photo is facing east. This (new campus) was in the west end of town, in the middle of unoccupied fields when it was constructed. The city is moving toward it, most of the fields have been already been built as residential housing. In front of us is the north straightaway--the backstretch. It has a chute while the homestretch does not, so sprints are run backwards on this side of the track. Since this track was constructed over a decade after its district mate, Camarillo (which does the same thing--a legacy case), they could have learned from the mistake but instead they copied the awkward design. But here they had a fresh piece of paper (this was just a farm) so there is no excuse. At least they installed a proper concrete curb. The row of eucalyptus trees would serve as a good windbreak except the prevailing wind comes from the opposite direction. Another school in the district, Channel Islands built a similar orientation (school, home stands and chute on the north) but made the greater mistake of placing the common finish west into the frequently strong prevailing wind. Two other schools in the district, also located north of their stadiums (Hueneme and Pacifica) did the right thing and placed the home stands, chute and common finish on the south so the wind on the homestretch is an aiding wind. The sixth school (yes all six schools have all weather tracks, that is how the politics of such investments work) Rio Mesa is located south of the stadium so it was not a stretch to also place the stands, chute and common finish on the south side.

 

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