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Sports Complex To Open ‘On Schedule’

The Falconer Central School District's current capital project that is bringing an all-weather and all-purpose sports complex to the community is "on schedule." Superintendent Stephen Penhollow said the district anticipates a completion date by the end of August. P-J photos by Jordan W. Patterson

FALCONER — Stephen Penhollow, staring out earlier this week at the recently laid all-weather football field at Falconer Central School, said the multi-purpose sports complex will be used for more than just simply football.

Penhollow, Falconer district superintendent, said the field is for multiple uses for each of its schools and the surrounding community.

“That’s the purpose of this,” Penhollow told The Post-Journal. “We’re essential within the community.”

The $22.9 million capital project, approved in 2017 by district voters, is divided into three phases and among various focus areas throughout the three Falconer schools.

At Tuesday’s board of education meeting, Penhollow said the project is still “on schedule” and that the district is hoping to be able to use the complex by September.

Penhollow said the most visible aspect of the project is obviously the new football field and track, but noted that its uses and the overall project is larger in scope.

The superintendent envisioned the complex being used by sports programs within the community and the district, as well as by its physical education classes and marching band.

“Some people get caught up with the idea that this is a football field. This is an all-weather complex and it’s used by so many different groups for so many different purposes,” he said.

The artificial field is “pretty much complete,” Penhollow said while touring the complex Wednesday. The new track will be installed this summer.

The outdoor-friendly complex includes the eight-lane, all-weather track, the all-weather and all-purpose athletic field, baseball and softball nets for batting practice, a new score board, new lights and new bleachers. The all-weather field will support both the football and soccer programs at Falconer.

The project’s architecture firm is Young & Wright Architectural.

“The idea is this was built for a purpose and the purpose is for it to be used by our students and by our staff to improve the process for our kids,” Penhollow said. “We feel very good about it. We put a lot of time and thought into picking colors and picking the logo in the center of the field and really trying to focus back on what has been stable in Falconer throughout the test of time.”

At the center of the field, is a large “F” for Falconer. Penhollow said the “F” was preferred over a different logo because of what it represents and it remaining a constant throughout the district’s history.

The sports complex includes a new scoreboard complete with new sound and video options for the district. Falconer now has the capability to record and present athlete track times.

The project also includes upgrades to the bus garage roof and maintenance bay.

Phase two of the capital project also includes the upgraded and secure entrance at the middle and high school. The entrance will resemble the entryway that was in place in the 1970s and 1980s that was replaced in the 1990s. Security cameras and systems as well as outdoor lighting are included upgrades in the three-tiered project. Aspects of phase one and two of the project are ongoing.

Phase three will include roofing improvements at Fenner and Temple elementary schools.

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