Greenport School District proposes nearly $2M facilities overhaul

Greenport School District will ask voters to approve a $1.97 million capital improvement project to replace aging athletic facilities, including the school’s cinder track, bleachers and field.

The project would be paid entirely from the district’s capital reserve fund, with no impact on property taxes or the 2026-27 school budget.

The improvements target facilities that have “reached the end of their useful life,” according to Superintendent Beth Doyle. 

Proposed upgrades include replacing the cinder track with a synthetic walking track, installing new permanent grandstand bleachers and press box at the athletic field, upgrading interior gymnasium bleachers, and resodding the multipurpose athletic field.

Additional work includes replacing locker room ceilings in both the girls’ and boys’ facilities, constructing a new restroom facility, replacing a wood storage barn with a 30-by-30-foot metal building, and replacing a 20,000-gallon underground fuel tank. The district also plans to demolish an existing grounds building and repave the area to create a half-court basketball court.

“These facilities no longer meet current safety, accessibility, or programmatic needs,” Ms. Doyle told The Suffolk Times. 

“These improvements are intended to enhance the student experience by providing safer, more functional spaces for physical education classes, interscholastic athletics, and school and community events,” she added. “The project addresses long-standing facility deficiencies while supporting student participation in athletics and physical activity.”

Athletic director Brian Toussaint said the upgrades would provide students with “more modern, functional spaces that better support physical education classes, athletics and other events.”

“Over time, however, some of these facilities have aged and no longer reflect the standards we want to provide for our student-athletes or spectators,” Mr. Toussaint said.

Funding will come directly from the district’s capital reserve fund, established in 2017. The district’s architects estimate the project cost at nearly $2.1 million, according to school officials. 

“If bids are received at the higher end of the estimate, the district may utilize existing Repair Reserve funds for eligible repair-related components of the project, subject to Board of Education authorization,” Ms. Doyle said. 

Voters will decide on the proposition Tuesday, March 10, in the school gymnasium between 2 and 8 p.m. Absentee ballots are available beginning Feb. 9 through the district clerk’s office.

“Athletics brings our school and community together, and investing in these facilities helps ensure we can continue offering positive, safe experiences for our students, families and spectators,” Mr. Toussaint said.