As the spring 2024 semester at SUNY New Paltz wound down in May, a new project for the school began; the renovation of the North Turf Field on campus, located behind Ridgeview Hall. From May through August, the field was completely stripped and reconstructed with improved amenities so that student-athletes and community members alike can enjoy an updated facility for years to come.
The project is reported to have cost the school over $4.2 million, with an additional $600,000 worth of unrestricted funds allocated to the construction. Updates to the facility include a widened field, fresh turf, reduced track lanes, a press box, bathrooms, a clean paved path leading up to the field and shored-up bleachers. According to Renee Bostic, Director of Athletics, Wellness and Recreation, renovation was deemed necessary as the old facility was full of issues such as divots and uneven surfaces that could hinder sport performance and overall enjoyment of the facility.
“Usually turf and tracks last about 10 years before you have to renovate them,” Bostic explained. “So we renovated both in the midst of being able to meet all of our outdoor sports needs.”
While dips and bumps were causing problems for student-athletes, these were not the only issue with the facility pre-renovation — the field was also too small to host men and women’s soccer, with field hockey and women’s lacrosse being the main sports that occupied the field. This was a considerable waste of space, as soccer games made up the majority of outdoor games in the fall, yet could not be played at the field closest to the heart of campus.
“Field hockey and soccer are the fall sports but field hockey doesn’t play as many games. There’s a lot of times that we have double header soccer games where we have to go at 1 and 4 p.m., which is a disadvantage because of daylight,” said Bostic.
By reducing the size of the track to two lanes and widening the field, the field can now be used for all of SUNY New Paltz’s outdoor sports, soccer included. However, the soccer teams will have to wait a year to reap the full benefits of this construction. Soccer games are to be scheduled at the North Turf Field starting fall 2025, as schedules are made a year in advance and the field was not yet available at the time of renovation.
Athletes and faculty have responded positively to the renovated facility and have already hosted a few successful games. Just last week, the SUNY New Paltz field hockey team took on Kean College, the No. 23 ranked team in the nation, and the Hawks came out victorious with a 4-3 final score. The Hawks have also garnered a national ranking and are currently positioned at No. 21.
While these outdoor sport athletes have been happy with the renovation, other groups, notably the cross country team as well as the runners in the community, have voiced some concerns about how these changes will impact them. They refer particularly to the changes to the pre-existing four lane track, which has now gone down to a two lane track in order to make room for the widened field. Reducing the size of the track was certainly not a favorable decision for these groups, who used the facility to practice or get exercise. However, these groups still have access to a full sized indoor track located in the Athletics, Wellness and Recreation Center, and Bostic explained that making the track smaller is what ultimately made the most sense considering the programs offered at SUNY New Paltz.
“[The cross country team] still has the ability to run around the track,” she noted. “We don’t sponsor outdoor tracks, we don’t have a track team. The lanes still meet the same width and distance, it’s still four times around.”
Some have also complained about the field being closed off from public access, with sports teams currently having the exclusive ability to utilize the field. However, Bostic said that this is due to the fact that they are still making some additions to the facility, and that it will be open to the public in the coming months.
“The reason it is not currently open is because we’re adding bathrooms in the press box,” she said. “They’ve done all of the plumbing, so there is a big hole on the side because it’s still a construction zone. It’s only [closed] because we’re more concerned about people getting hurt without supervision.”
“We’re excited about the project,” she added. “We ask for folks’ patience for us to get through, but we’re just trying to make sure that once it is finished, that it is what it’s supposed to be.”
The renovation of the North Turf Field is one of a series of enhancements to the SUNY New Paltz athletic facilities. This past August the floor of the Hawk Center in the Athletics, Wellness and Recreation Center was remodeled, and the school is set to renovate the center’s pool as well. These updates reflect the school’s commitment to providing top class athletic spaces.
The exact date of reopening of the North Turf Field to the public has not been confirmed, but the Athletics and Wellness department expects construction to be finished by the end of the fall 2024 semester. In the meantime, students and community members can catch field hockey games at the North Turf on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
For those who would like to contact or find any further information about the athletics department, Bostic encourages them to check out www.nphawks.com, which has all the information about upcoming games and athletic events.