For Immediate Release

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Greater Lawrence Technical School Breaks Ground at New Athletic Facility

ANDOVER — Superintendent John Lavoie is pleased to announce that school and state officials, along with a group of student-athletes at Greater Lawrence Technical School, broke ground yesterday morning at a new athletic facility.

Superintendent Lavoie greeted the crowd at the 8 a.m. ceremony and told attendees that the groundbreaking is the latest step in a process that began in 2010.

“Although it has been a challenge to get here, I cannot express enough the importance of this project to our school and students. I believe physical education is a key component to a healthy and successful life,” Superintendent Lavoie said. “This new facility will motivate more students to participate in athletics. These new fields will help to strengthen school spirit and pride. Students, as athletes and spectators, will have a place to show their Reggie pride.”

With ground broken on the first of three planned phases, yesterday’s ceremony marked the beginning of construction of a new football/soccer field, which will also have a quarter-mile track and track and field facilities. Construction will be completed by the start of the 2017-2018 school year in the fall.

GLTS hopes to break ground on phase two in the spring of 2018, which includes turfing the softball and baseball fields, adding lighting and configuring the field for youth soccer fields.

State Rep. Frank A. Moran (D-Lawrence), who graduated from GLTS in 1989, attended the event and expressed the pride he knows students, parents and family members will feel once the field is completed.

“This is an exciting day not only for the Greater Lawrence Technical High School, but for the district and the community,” state Rep. Moran said. “I am delighted that GLTS will be embarking on this innovative project, which will give students the opportunity to have access to more sports and activities.

Carl Grygiel, Co-Chair of the Field Committee, also shared his excitement for the project that will bring new athletic experiences to students.

“This is not going to be a field of dreams, it’s going to be a school of dreams,” Grygiel said. “Players from Andover, North Andover, Lawrence and Methuen will all come here and say this is where we want to be. We look forward to a tremendous opening this fall.”

To conclude the ceremony, students, school and state officials turned the soil.

Also in attendance at the ceremony included: State Rep. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen), June Black, District Director for Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, Assistant Superintendent-Director/Principal Elizabeth Freedman, Mark Torrisi, Co-Chair Field Committee, GLTS School Committee/Field Committee member Jessica Finocchiaro (Methuen), GLTS School Committee/Field Committee member Marilyn Fitzgerald (Andover), GLTS School Committee Chairman Leo Lamontagne (Lawrence), GLTS School Committee member Gary Mannion Jr. (Lawrence), GLTS School Committee member Barbara Grondine (Methuen), Liz Bennett, GLTS Director of Grants/Community/Workforce Development, and Sarah Starkweather, GLTS Athletic Field Campaign Fundraiser.

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