University of Hartford plans new track facility
Proposal for state-of-the-art complex comes as program shifts to D-III
The University of Hartford this year is planning a multimillion-dollar track and field complex in a project that it describes as a major component in modernizing its sports facilities.
The university plans to build just north of Al-marzook field.
The project, part of the university’s long-term facilities plan, comes as the school shifts its athletics program from Division I down to Division III.
That move infuriated student athletes when it was announced; they staged protests and filed a lawsuit, but the decision remained intact and the school is scheduled to join the Commonwealth Coast Conference in July.
Resentment about the switch hasn’t gone away though. When the university posted news of the plan on its Facebook page late last week, the first reply read: “Spending money for D3. Seems like a waste.”
The university told students that the new facility will benefit intramural teams and provide space for recreational kickball, flag football, ultimate Frisbee and more.
“We see a vibrant DIII athletics program and the expansion of recreation opportunities as valuable assets to students at the University, and are thrilled to be able to offer this,” Sharon Beverly, vice president of athletics and recreation, said in a written announcement.
“The space will abut the baseball and soccer fields, and can be used for intramural games, flag football, ultimate Frisbee, soccer, kickball, and pick-up games, with two to three games able to occur at the same time,” she said. “It will be a boon for intramural teams, which have needed more space due to existing fields being in high use, and the specific need for turf due to weather conditions that affect grassy areas across campus.”
The new track would be just below the corner where the borders of Hartford, Bloomfield and West Hartford meet. The university is presenting the plan to the Hartford wetlands commission on Tuesday night, and also requires approval by the city’s planning and zoning commission. Beverly said construction is planned to begin later this year.
The University of Hartford didn’t publicly give a budget for the work, but said private donors have already committed more than $2.5
million. Most of the funding came from alumni, “including one alumnus who has pledged a seven-figure lead gift and will be naming the facility,” Beverly said. “Dedicated corporate partners, including Stanley Black & Decker, Cvs/aetna, and Robinson & Cole LLP, will also be supporting the project.”
The university said the facility will make it a potential host for NCAA regional and national tournaments for field hockey as well as track and field.
The university said the facility will be built to NCAA standards, and will include a 400-meter, eightlane in West Hartford, told the CT Mirror last week.
And the average temperature this February was two degrees warmer than that of February 2022, he added.
Home heating oil prices were sky-high shortly before the winter began but have dropped steadily as the season has progressed.
The average retail price in Connecticut stood at $5.93 per gallon during the first week of November, according to state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection records. That was $2.60 or 78% higher than the same week in 2021.
But by Feb. 20 of this year, they had dipped below $4 per gallon and stood at $3.98 entering March.
Still, legislative leaders from both parties said they’re certain that the need for assistance remains high across Connecticut — and also that legislators didn’t allocate $30 million in state resources in November with the intent that those dollars remain unspent. — track surrounding a new synthetic turf field for field hockey. The track will measure before settling on $30 million.
Lamont has reminded lawmakers that LIHEAP is a federal program and Congress primarily is responsible for funding it properly.
Critics counter that state government’s fiscal position, at least in the short term, is ridiculously be full pour, a construction technique that manufacturers say avoids peeling and is resistant to buckling.
The field will have bleachers on the west side and lighting for evening use. The university also plans a storage building and bathrooms nearby.
“The quality of the field turf and the lights will position the University of Hartford to be one of the premier facilities in the Northeast for field hockey,” Beverly said. “The addition of a full-service track and complete support for all track and field events on campus will be a tremendous asset to moving our program to the national level.”
“When the smoke clears, we’re going to see there are many more families that are falling into poverty because of the high fuel costs.”