Oak Ridge accepting race applications for 2014

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is now accepting race applications for 2014. Organizations that wish to host 5Ks, triathlons, marathons, walks, or fun runs next year are strongly encouraged to contact the department to inquire about available dates and courses.

The popularity and frequency of races is increasing. For this reason, the City of Oak Ridge has developed guidelines to permit safe racing on the city’s streets and highways.

Applications are available from the Recreation and Parks Department and may be downloaded from the web site at www.orrecparks.org or picked up at the Recreation Center front desk at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The Recreation and Parks Department and the Oak Ridge Police Department will work with race organizers to ensure a safe environment is available for the race with minimal traffic disruptions.

The City of Oak Ridge, in concert with the Oak Ridge Track Club, has developed a city-wide system of five certified road courses for use by race promoters. Using one of the five certified courses and holding races on Saturday or Sunday mornings with a start time prior to 8:30 a.m. will streamline the approval process for the event as well as minimize costs to the event organizers. Each course has a recommended Oak Ridge Police Department staffing level, number of volunteers needed, contacts for parking/staging areas, and estimated cost.

Requests that include other courses and days and times outside of the standard course setup will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The approval process could require an extended review period and will include additional staffing costs in order to ensure the safety of the race participants and the general public plus minimize traffic disruptions.

If you have questions about hosting a race in Oak Ridge, contact Matt Reedy at (865) 425-3442 or via email at mreedy@oakridgetn.gov.