As the leader of a thriving run club in Grosse Pointe, it is both disappointing and frustrating to witness the recent closures of Grosse Pointe South High School's track gates, preventing us from using this essential community resource. Our run club, comprising diverse members ranging from amateur joggers to competitive athletes, has relied on this track for regular training sessions, building stamina, and achieving personal fitness goals.

For years, the track at Grosse Pointe South served as a welcoming place for the community to come together, encouraging an active lifestyle and fostering community spirit. It has been a space where parents come with their children, where neighbors meet, and where residents of all ages dedicate time to personal health and wellness.

The sudden inaccessibility of the track is disheartening, not just for our club, but for the entire Grosse Pointe community. This track is supposed to be a public amenity, enhancing the quality of life and promoting health and fitness. Instead, with all gates locked, it has become an unused resource, inevitably affecting our training schedules, especially as we prepare for upcoming races such as marathons and charity runs.

By unlocking the gates, or at the very least one gate, the school would be taking a crucial step in reinstating this invaluable community asset. Many communities across the country have found creative solutions to such concerns, ensuring track accessibility while maintaining necessary security and stewardship of school property. Implementing a schedule for public hours, offering community membership cards, or stationing a volunteer or staff to oversee the facility during open hours are practical ways to balance community access and security.

Grosse Pointe South High School has always been a beacon of community support and involvement, and we are hopeful that they will hear our voices and work towards a resolution that benefits both the school and the larger Grosse Pointe area.

We urge the school administration and local decision-makers to reconsider their current stance on track access. Opening the track gates will not only resonate with the ideals of community inclusivity but will also provide numerous physical and mental health benefits to the Grosse Pointe residents. We believe that together, as a community, we can find a mutually agreeable solution.

Please join us in this effort to reopen the Grosse Pointe South High School track gates. Sign this petition to help us bring back this vital community resource for everyone to enjoy once more.