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In the distance, the New York skyline glimmers. From nearby WardsIsland, the Manhattan Psychiatric Center glowers. Above, traffic grinds along on the Triborough Bridge. But standing in the middle of historic Downing Stadium on Randalls Island, the most striking impression is of shadows from the past.
One can sense the glory days when the stadium played host to the 1936 Olympic Trials and the 1966 AAU track and field championships. There's little feeling of the upheaval caused by three extensive renovations in the past 17 years.
With every revision, the facility has tried to recapture its past, and now, after its latest overhaul, the stadium may be ready to step into the future.
The Metropolitan Athletics Congress has plans for a top-caliber international competition in May, and officials are optimistic about hosting the TAC national championships in 1990. Perhaps another Olympic Trials could be on the horizon.
But dreams have been a big part of Downing Stadium's recent past. In 1970, the track was changed from cinders to an all-weather composition, but its asphalt base was laid unevenly. The surface buckled because of poor drainage and bubbled because of the foundation. Even though major high school and college meets such as the New York Relays and Eastern States championships were run, the stadium's stature began to diminish.
In 1979, a rubberized track was installed at a cost of $600,000, and the big-time hopes were rekindled. But then came more bubbling. In 1982, another $489,000 was spent on repairs, including some standardizing procedures that allowed the track to conform to international specifications. It was lengthened from 440 yards to 400 meters and widened from six 42-inch lanes to eight 48-inch lanes. But the bubbling burst the hopes again.
In 1983, the public was allowed to utilize the facility for the first time since the '36 Olympic Trials. But unable...