Last October, community organizers unveiled a plan to build a $4 million track facility on the Boothbay Region schools’ campus. On Wednesday, April 8, Community on Track committee member Dana Paolillo said the group “continues to work really hard” to make that vision a reality.

Paolillo called the present moment a “waiting phase” for the track project and said the committee continues to work with potential major donors and to seek grant dollars.

Paolillo said the group hopes to secure large donors by this summer, at which time a community matching grant fundraiser will begin.

“We are still going forward as planned and we have a number of grant applications that are in the second stage of review. Our goal is to secure the major donors (who will match community fundraising) by the Lobster Roll Race,” Paolillo said. The Lobster Roll 5k Race is an annual event that is taking place July 26 this year.

Paolillo said the Community on Track committee has also been involved with Boothbay’s plans to expand Clifford playground. The track group doesn’t see the two proposals as mutually exclusive ventures; in fact, the track committee hopes the two projects can move forward together.

“When we heard about the plan, I went to Jim Chaousis (former Boothbay Town Manager) and said, ‘We want to work with you.’”

Paolillo said she sees the community track proposal as part of the local effort to keep kids here and engaged.

The facility would also be available to the community at large and would be a boon to special needs kids, as well as school athletic programs, she said.