Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Maine High School Starts Construction on $4.3M Athletic Complex

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/19/22

Kennebunk High School in Kennebunk, Maine, recently began work on a new $4.3-million athletic complex. Local news reports that voters approved a portion of the funding for the new project in May and approved the district’s overall operating budget in June. RSU 21 School Board Chair Art LeBlanc called the project “very exciting and long overdue,” as the existing athletic complex has fallen into disrepair in recent years.

During a presentation earlier this year, LeBlanc outlined some of the problems with the current facilities. The track was built in 2004 and is cracked and filled with holes. The bleachers were built in 2006, are not structurally sound and are not ADA-compliant. The 1980s-era lights are outdated, and poles have been damaged by wildlife. Finally, the field has drainage issues and is currently unusable for competition.

According to local news, the new complex will feature synthetic turf to support the school’s football, soccer, lacrosse and field-hockey teams. The turf is made of virgin EPDM material and is free of PSA toxins, as well as the contaminants usually associated with recycled rubber.

New home-side bleachers will cost $258,000, while another portable set will cost $170,000. A new press box will cost $212,000, the new lighting system $368,000, and track upgrades $125,000. Funding for the project is coming from $2.8 million from the district’s capital reserve fund, as well as $1.2 million left over from a previous construction project and another $250,000 previously allocated for track repairs.

The district partnered with CHA Consulting, Inc. to design and engineer the complex’s renovations in participation with local firms Sebago Technics and S.W. Cole. Further details about the project are available on the Maine Regional School Unit 21 website.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Indiana University Launches Capital Campus in D.C.

    Indiana University recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new IU Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., according to university news. The eight-story facility will provide a central hub for the university’s existing programs and business operations based in D.C., uniting them under one roof and providing the opportunity to expand.

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.