Almost a year removed from ceremonial shovels being put into the dirt, College of Staten Island Interim President Dr. Timothy G. Lynch, together with former Assembly Member Michael Cusick and several other honored guests, officially opened the College’s new Track & Field Complex in a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on the track this afternoon. The ceremony officially opened the facility, which houses a new resilient quarter-mile track circling a fully synthetic turf field, to the CSI and Staten Island community.
“The architectural, design, engineering plans for this facility, and the incredible efforts of so many dedicated workers have come to fruition and we couldn’t be more pleased and thankful,” said Dr. Lynch to launch the event. “The construction was comprehensive and makes our facility one of the premiere track and field facilities in the state, the region, and the nation. It will allow us to host intercollegiate athletic competition specific to our NCAA Division II men’s and women’s outdoor track and field programs, and will serve as a landmark destination for track and field. In tandem with the Ocean Breeze facility, this track will make Staten Island a premiere site for the track and field community.”
Alumnus and CSI Hall of Famer Jeff Benjamin, who helped guide CSI’s Cross-Country and Track & Field programs during the program’s infancy in the mid-1980s, also offered words during the event, celebrating the advancements the campus has made as a sports hub on Staten Island, and how the facility serves to strengthen Staten Island’s already vibrant running community. CSI Director of Athletics Chase Licata followed Benjamin, indicating that the facility is another indication of how committed the College has been to serve its students and neighboring community.
Former Assembly Member Michael Cusick closed the event, fittingly as one of the principal supporters of the construction project. A former college track & field star at Villanova University, Cusick expressed how proud he was of the progress made and how it will help all Staten Islanders. “To have this project done in less than a year is unheard of and that is due to the great leadership at the College and the partnerships that came together,” Cusick said. “This track is here for the students, but also to the many young athletes who will perform, compete, and set their personal bests here. On Staten Island we don’t have a lot of tracks like this, so I hope this is the start of more that will pop up and be used by the community.”
At the conclusion of remarks, the collection of speakers were joined by other distinguished for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, joined then by student-athletes, coaches, CSI staff, faculty, and alumni to commemorate the event.
A full Photo Gallery commemorating the event is available here. Visit our YouTube Channel for the full Track Ribbon-Cutting ceremony.
