The track for the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games, which is under construction behind the Weyburn Comp School, is nearly complete.

Paving was completed last week and crews began laying down the all-weather rubberized surface this week. This process will take a few days, is very delicate and must not be disturbed, according to Jim Onstad who is with the Games committee.

"We want people to stay off the track and we're asking the public to not go on it with bikes or even walk on it," Onstad said.

Security has been watching the track when work crews are not around and will be there throughout the process. If the track is disturbed, "that would cost us more money to redo it at the time of laying the rubber," Onstad noted.

There has been some volunteers coming out, but a few spots still have to be filled according to Nick Coroluick, with the Summer Games volunteer committee. "It's going not too bad, we've got a fair number of volunteers but we do still need a few days," he noted.

Today, Thursday and Friday have one shift per night open and Saturday, Sunday and Monday have several shifts available. The shifts include 8 p.m. to midnight, 12 to 4 a.m. and 4-8 a.m.

Some local car dealerships, Redcoat Plymouth Chrysler and Barber Motors, have taken on the task of watching the track for an evening and Coroluick encourages other businesses to consider the same.

"A lot of times when we ask for volunteers they think that we should just go with individuals," Coroluick said, noting having businesses sign up is "really an added plus because then our group doesn't have to coordinate every individual person."

Individual volunteers are still appreciated and encouraged to help out, Coroluick added.

The rubber surface is not the final step in completing the track as lines will be painted on once the track has cured and that is expected to take about three days.

With these deadlines in sight, Onstad said the project is running on time. "It's pretty much right on schedule. We thought that we could get everything done by the end of August and it looks like we'll be pretty close."

Irrigation will also be put in the centre of the track, which will be a soccer field, and into the adjacent football field. The old track will also be covered with top soil and seeded with grass. Power is expected to be trenched in for a concession booth and possibly a tower with scoreboards facing the track and the football field.