Santa Barbara City College has announced that La Playa Stadium will be closed for needed surface repair to the college’s track. The stadium will close Tuesday, May 31, and reopen Saturday, July 2. For safety reasons, the closure includes all entrances to the stadium with no access to the stadium steps.

“SBCC’s La Playa Stadium is a central point for activities for our students as well as the local community,” said Ryan Byrne, SBCC athletic director. “The heavy usage of the track necessitates regular repairs to maintain its integrity.”

SBCC offers both credit and non-credit classes on the track and field from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., four days a week. Officials have calculated that the stadium sees at least 33,600 student hours of use in just class hours over two semesters annually, not counting athletic competition, summer sessions and community use.

The annual Easter Relays are held at La Playa each year, along with a number of other special community events; the field is used in the fall by a local high school for its home football games, and hundreds of local Santa Barbara area residents use the track and stadium steps daily for their own personal fitness.

“SBCC takes great pride in being a community partner,” said Byrne. “This temporary closure is needed to make repairs and ensure the facility is in the best condition to serve the needs of students and the community.”

— Luz Reyes-Martin is the interim public information officer at SBCC.