With shovels in hand and hard hats on, several Liberty Redhawk student-athletes ceremoniously broke ground on the new athletic facility on the middle/high school campus on Friday, June 13.

The groundbreaking was held to mark the start of the first phase of construction of the capital project approved by Liberty Central School District voters in January 2024.

Among the improvements to the area that currently holds the track and football field are a new turf field that will be used by football and soccer teams, new bleachers and grandstand, a new pressbox, a new scoreboard and lighting.

After the national anthem was played by student-athlete and trumpeter Luis Molina-Gonzalez, LCSD Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan welcomed those in attendance.

“This project represents opportunity, growth, and a commitment to the future of Liberty,” he said. “It stands as a testament to the hard work, determination, and shared dreams of so many people.”

The improvements will have many benefits, the student-athletes said.

“With a turf field we would not have to worry so much about weather,” football player Tayler Schwartz said. “With the addition of the lights to this field, we will be able to create a more flexible schedule for all of our sports so that our students wouldn’t have to leave their classes so early,”

The turf field will level competition against powerhouses in their league, soccer player Justin Simon said. “While hard work, love of the game and determination of the athletes and coaches has gotten us this far, having regular use of a turf field will allow us to elevate our game play and help us to compete on an even playing field with the rest of our league.”

The new field and track will also be able to be used by community organizations, including youth and travel teams. Allowing programs such as Liberty United, a feeder program for Liberty Redhawk soccer, year-round use will “allow us to now diversify our skill and ability to play on different kinds of fields,” Elizabeth “Licha” Cruz Cruz said.

But the new facility is more than a playing field, the students said.

“For us athletes, this means more than a track, turf, jumping areas and bleachers,” said Brook Bull, representing the track and field team. “It’s where we learn discipline, teamwork and resilience. Where we show up early, stay late, build friendships, push our limits, and sometimes fall short, only to come back stronger.”

Dr. Sullivan thanked those involved in the project: the Board of Education, architect LAN Associates and their partners, Gerard Associates, LA Group, Construction Manager School House, Clark Companies, Southern Bleachers, Musco Lighting, Assistant Superintendent for Business Laurene McKenna, administration, faculty, coaches, staff, state and local officials, students and the Liberty community.

The athletic field and track area was closed to the public following the groundbreaking. Construction will begin on Monday, June 16.

The turf field is expected to be completed in time to play a few games in the 2025-26 school year, with other improvements going into 2027.

The first phase of the capital project also includes construction of the maintenance building; upgrades to the HVAC controls at the middle and high school; upgrades to the carbon monoxide alarm system and replacement of exterior stairs at the high school; and replacements of some interior doors at the middle school.

For more information on the project, visit the district’s Capital Project page.