YOU can tear down the old stadium, lay waste a field of dreams, but Meadowbank will forever hold a treasured place in a nation's affections.

There have been countless false starts there – a few recent false finishes too, as the public defied housing redevelopment. Yet now it does look like goodbye. Meadowbank will close on December 3.

I owe it a personal debt. Had I not won a schoolboy steeplechase on the old cinder track in the mid 1960s, I'd not be writing this. It jolted me towards sports journalism, with treasured memories, and two Commonwealth Games on a track barely a mile from my boyhood home. Without Meadowbank there would have been no Allan Wells or Chris Hoy. Scotland's iconic Olympic champions started here. The judo mat helped blood future World champion Graham Randall; the weights room is where a juggernaut Jack Hynd became Scotland's strongest man en route to winning a Commonwealth medal; and on the range, Alister Allan helped make himself world smallbore champion.

Sport's debt is infinite. Yvonne Murray was just one of countless youngsters encouraged to dare to dream, with coaches who gave roots to grow, and wings to fly.

Meadowbank has hosted the good, the bad, and the ugly: inspirational performances, matches, and records. Kids who became the world's best; drug cheats like Ben Johnson the 1986 Commonwealth 100m champion; maverick Daley Thompson braving a snapped pole to take his third decathlon gold, and then obliterating the sponsor's name on his number; the appalling Robert Maxwell.

Future Olympic champions won there: David Hemery, Mary Peters, Linford Christie, Kelly Holmes. An anti-apartheid demonstrator trying to tackle Zola Budd. She sidestepped him like a Springbok fly-half yet set a Scottish all-comers record for the mile. Marilyn Neufville broke the world 400m record in 1970 (51.02). Only in 1998 did a Scot ran faster: Commonwealth silver-medallist Allison Curbishley, in what's still the national record.

Most memorable Meadowbank moment? Lachie Stewart's unheralded 10,000 metres victory in 1970 does it for me. Facing Ron Clarke, with his career 17 world records, Lachie had a best time 54 seconds slower. He knocked more than 20 seconds from his best to take Scotland's first gold of the 1970 Games, and first track one since 1934. A week later Ian Stewart and Ian McCafferty broke Olympic 1500m champion Kip Keino to win gold and silver in the 5000m. And Scotland's defending marathon champion, Jim Alder, was edged by Ron Hill who ran the fastest time ever on a certified course. And there was more gold from Bud Payne (discus) and Rosemary Stirling (800m).

Liz Lynch won the Commonwealth 10,000m in 1986, her championship debut. She retained her title four years later, won the World crown, and set world road bests. She laid bare her emotions when told of the closure: "I remember being 12, and going to the East District Championships," she said, "and being in awe at the size of the stadium. Little did I know how important this place would become to me. Scotland's only gold in 1986 was a massive win for me . . . memories never to be replaced. I'm upset it's come to this. Our national stadium should have been kept. Field of dreams really does come to mind . . . Flats and houses, at what cost? Memories lost. It's sad."

Awesome races replay in the mind: Steve Cram pushed to a UK all-comers' best to hold off Bellshill's Tom McKean for 1986 Commonwealth gold at 800m, then winning the 1500m; Bellahouston's Frank Clement taking the 1973 Europa Cup 1500m with the bravest of front-running displays – more than 10 seconds faster than Cram!

A plaque once hung in the Meadowbank foyer, honouring world bests there. It included a high jump of 2.04 metres in 1976 by Ross Hepburn – world best by a 14-year old and still Scottish age-group best. The plaque was removed to make way for a vending machine. It was found years later in a cellar, and presented to Hepburn.

It seems a metaphor for Edinburgh's profligacy with heritage. "Meadowbank has played a major role in helping develop young and old," said Hepburn yesterday. "Not just champions. Its loss is criminal. It's not about profit. Support the young, the keen, those who'd fall by the wayside without decent recreation facilities. It will be a sad loss if this is not rekindled."

I fondly recall a raw, damp night in June, 1990. The young Texan's sole claim to fame was an NCAA 200m title, but we saw something portentous when he beat a field including Olympic champion Joe DeLoach and double World 200m champion Calvin Smith.

Michael Johnson clocked 19.85sec – defying elements and belief: fifth fastest ever. A streak of 58 consecutive 400m victories and 32 at 200m began the next year. When he retired 11 years later, he reflected where it had all begun: ''It was a huge race for me, very important,'' Johnson told me at a gala dinner in Monaco, reeling off the names of those he'd beaten. "It gave me enormous confidence – and I remember it was very cold.''

Andrea Bocelli entertained us that evening. Cue thunderous applause as he concluded: "Time to say Goodbye."

Usain Bolt came and went, yet Johnson's Scottish all-comers' record still stands, as do those of Steve, Zola, and Liz. And when the bulldozers rumble in, and it's goodbye to Meadowbank, the 1970 performances of Alder (marathon), McCafferty (5000m), and Stewart (10,000m) will all still be Scottish native records.