At a special board meeting held on June 17, 2024, the Breitung Township School Board voted to replace the track and install an artificial turf field on Flivver Field, funded completely by donations and fundraising efforts.
The original track surface was installed in 1991 with some repairs and repainting at times over the past several years. The board committed to replacing the original track which included basework, resurfacing, and painting. An ad hoc committee was then formed to determine whether or not to add an artificial turf field to the project since the base work for the track surface was already being planned. After several committee meetings and input from administrators and staff members who regularly use the facility with students, the board voted to move forward with the complete track and field project which includes the installation of artificial turf.
The funding for the project will come completely from donations and fundraising efforts. A $200,000 donation from Iron Mountain-Kingsford Community Schools, a $150,000 donation from the Kingsford High School Athletic Booster Club, $150,000 from initial fundraising efforts, and the remaining funds not to exceed $1.5 million, from the Francis Zanardi Trust.
The Flivver Field Legacy Project fundraising campaign will kick off soon. Individuals and businesses will be able to purchase yard lines, sidelines, endzones, goal posts, or track lanes and receive recognition on a billboard that will be constructed as part of the fundraising effort. Other individual donations will also be accepted as part of the fundraising campaign. The final details of the fundraising plan will be released on the Breitung Township Schools website www.kingsford.org as well as the district Facebook pages.
“I commend the board for making this decision to maintain and upgrade our facilities. Flivver Field is already a gathering place and our community takes great pride in the history and tradition associated with it. However, there is limited use with the current grass field. Adding an artificial turf surface allows the facility to be used in many ways for seven to eight months of the year. Multiple sports programs, marching band, physical education classes, sports camps, and community school summer programs will all be able to use the facility. In addition, replacing the track surface enables us to continue to host the Upper Peninsula Track and Field Finals which is the largest single sporting event held in the Upper Peninsula annually.
We are fortunate to have exceptional community support, a significant donation from Iron Mountain-Kingsford Community Schools, a major commitment from the Kingsford High School Athletic Booster Club, and the benefactors of an incredible gift from the Francis Zanardi Trust. This project will have an immediate benefit to multiple student programs and the community as a whole.” Superintendent David Holmes stated.
Kingsford High School Athletic Director added, “Replacing the track and installing artificial turf was one of my major facility goals when I accepted this position in 2019. Flivver Field is one of the nicest venues to host events in the region. We will now have the opportunity to expand the use of this facility and take our programs, IM-K community schools camps, and regional events to a whole new level.”
The project is being planned to begin directly after the completion of the 2025 Upper Peninsula Track and Field Finals and is expected to be completed before the fall 2025 sports seasons begin.
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