The Barron Stadium track could reopen to the public as early as Christmas, but the era of pre-dawn power walks has likely ended.

“We have a $3 million investment in that facility and we can’t have it open 24/7,” said Richard Garland, executive director of the Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority.

“The last thing we want is for somebody to get in there and do something to that turf that’s going to cost us a heap of money,” he added. “We don’t have the money to — we don’t have any money.”

Rome City Commissioner Jamie Doss, an avid runner, said he understands the need to protect the resurfaced track and the $1 million in Astroturf that is replacing the natural grass.

Still, Doss said, people are used to being able to walk or jog around the field at all hours of the day or night, and he’s hoping a compromise might emerge.

“That’s the most-used recreation facility in Floyd County,” he said. “Personally, I think it’s important the track remains open and if it could be open 24 hours a day, that would be best.”

Garland said there’s no practical way to separate the track from the field “so the best way to control access is to keep the stadium locked.”

There’s been little discussion on the use of the track, he said, but he expects it to be open at least some part of each day.

“We’ll probably take advantage of the part-time staff in the tennis center, so it could be open until 9 p.m.,” Garland said. “And we could look at opening it when our crews arrive, so there is the potential for it to be open from 8 or 9 o’clock in the morning to 9 or 10 o’clock at night.”

City and county public works crews putting down the asphalt base this week will be followed by subcontractor Northwest Georgia Paving Co. with the final asphalt layer.

“Then we’ll let it sit there until after the last football game in November,” Garland said.

The track surface will be installed between the last game and the NAIA national football championship in December.

Shorter University plans to host its first track and field meet at the facility in 2011. The school also will host the 2012 and 2013 Mid-South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships contingent on the finished surface meeting championship standards.

The 2009 special purpose, local option sales tax package contains $3,369,000 to upgrade the stadium complex on West Third Street. Garland said Memorial Gym will be razed after the NAIA game in preparation for construction of a concessions and locker room facility next year.