Photo courtesy of MIFFLIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT A rendering shows fans entering the new main stadium in front of Mifflin County High School.

LEWISTOWN — When Mifflin County High School athletics rolled out a vision for its new Multi-Sports Complex in August 2022, the project which included new stadiums, field houses and track, renovated fields and other ancillary facilities seemed

very distant.

The sounds of shovels digging into the soil and construction vehicles rolling up the road will bring a definite reality to what some once considered a pipedream.

“It is exciting to be at the horizon of such a project, knowing all the hard work and dedication given by so many people in the community and district to reach this goal,” Mifflin County School District Superintendent of Schools Vance Varner said.

The groundbreaking ceremony kicks off the construction stage. They’ll certainly be dignitaries offering well-wishers and school officials thanking those outside the Mifflin County High School campus for making this project possible.

Once the ceremony ends, the real work begins as the clock is ticking on fulfilling the requirements of the state grant money. There are millions — $3 million to be exact — hinged on construction crews making deadlines.

“We have to have the fieldhouses done by Dec. 31, 2024,” Varner explained.

Varner anticipates construction starting Monday morning with erosion and sedimentation barriers being placed at both worksites.

Sports schedules for the 2024-25 sports season will be much different for Huskies teams affected by the construction. Some will be housed at fields that haven’t been used for decades. Others will find themselves at homes away from home as Mifflin County has made provisions with neighboring districts to use their facilities during the construction stage, if needed.

Field hockey and soccer teams in the fall will be affected, along with the current track and field teams this spring. School officials say they plan to let baseball and softball teams complete their spring seasons before displacing them.

Officials hope to return those Husky teams to their new homes at the new $18.5 million complex by the next spring season in 2025. Breslin Architects, of Allentown, served as the architect for the project.

“We’ve been surprised with the support from neighboring school districts,” Varner said. “We’ve already made provisions to share fields with other districts.

“Our fingers are crossed with baseball and softball that we can hold off until their spring 2024 seasons are over,” he added.

Once completed, school officials salivate at the notion of what their turf fields could bring to the area — playoff games and band shows to name a few.

“We’re the only turf field between State College and Harrisburg,” Varner said.

A $3 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department for Community and Economic Development got the ball rolling in August 2022. Funds from the DCED Grant will be used to build multi-purpose athletic fields that will accommodate more than 1,500 student-athletes participating in field hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, softball and track and field.

It will also benefit other school programs, like the marching band, youth programs and Special Olympics. Community members could also have access to walking and outdoor exercise at the new facilities.

All of the facilities will be located on the campus, which will reduce travel costs for bussing to practices and home games that were played at nearby fields, such as soccer and football. The main stadium will be located in front of the high school with the second stadium located across the street at the former site of the Highland Park Elementary School. Each stadium will have its own fieldhouse. The second stadium will also house the track and field venues, along with fields lined for football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse.

The baseball and softball fields will remain in their current locations but receive extensive upgrades. The tennis courts will also stay in the same spot and will not be part of this project.

“This will be a great facility for the Mifflin County School District as well as the entire Mifflin County community,” Varner added.

“As superintendent, I believe that we have a great school district,” he added. “The completion of the Multi-Sports Facilities Project will help raise our outdoor facilities to that same level.”

Construction is set to begin shortly after the groundbreaking as time schedules are tight, depending on inclement weather.