The University of Hartford this year is planning a $9 million 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. It will be used for the cross country and track programs, as well as the new field hockey program coming in the fall of 2024. Administrators also expect thousands of students, faculty, staff and intramural team members will use the facility recreationally. It will also host the annual Summer Place summer camp.
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 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, eight-lane track surrounding a new synthetic turf field for field hockey. The track will 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.”
Chris Dupuis, assistant vice president for capital planning and management, said the university anticipates the construction timeline could depend on weather conditions and supply chains.
