The snow-covered day did not diminish an exciting milestone for Queensbury Union Free School District as administrators, faculty, students, community members, and business partners joined to break ground on a new, multi-purpose outdoor athletic facility.

Approved by voters in December 2021 as part of a $19.75 million capital project, the complex will support longer yearly outdoor facility use, provide a safer, more weather-resilient playing surface, and better prepare student athletes for sectional and state-level contests. The multi-sport design of the new athletic fields will bolster all outdoor athletic programs at Queensbury UFSD while providing additional amenities for community use.

“This is an event that I personally have waited a long time for,” said Kyle Gannon, Superintendent of Schools at Queensbury UFSD. “It sends chills down my arms as I envision an athletic contest out here, under the lights, with parents and community members everywhere.”

Regarded as a long-awaited addition to the Queensbury school community by faculty and Board of Education members, the groundbreaking ceremony symbolized a long-term goal realized for the entire school community to provide state-of-the-art facilities that help achieve excellence at Queensbury UFSD.

“Everyone will be able to utilize this, including the community, so it’s going to be a fantastic facility,” said Greg Klokiw, Managing Principal at CSArch. “This will definitely impact the athletic program from top to bottom.”

The new complex will include a multi-purpose, synthetic turf field lined for football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey, as well as additional turf fields for baseball and softball. A grandstand, new scoreboards, field lighting, and walkways surrounding the perimeter of the fields contribute to an inviting facility for community members to enjoy athletic contests.

The facility is scheduled for completion in Fall 2023, just in time for athletic teams to kick off the fall season on the new fields.