As you know from recent upgrades to our science, humanities, and creative arts structures, we are steadily building for CR’s future. A series of new ambitious construction projects will continue to support the college’s priority of better serving our students and communities. Up next is a new 80,000-square-foot physical education and fieldhouse project that is slated for completion in December of 2026. Early next month, we will break ground on the first phase, the Community Stadium. The stadium upgrade is part of a project designed not only to enhance the college’s athletic facilities but also to strengthen the bond between the college and our community.

The vision for the project is to create a true Community Stadium, welcoming K-12 teams to use our facilities to practice, play games, or host events for free. We know how difficult it can be to find available space for athletic teams in a community where the demand often outpaces the supply. That’s why we are committed to offering our facility at no cost, as long as it does not interfere with our own athletics programming or instruction.

Included in this project will be a new artificial turf football/soccer field, a new track, bleachers, and critical improvements to the stadium’s electrical infrastructure. We would also like to include lights and a press box if funding allows.

Building on this commitment to community and athletic development, I’m also excited to announce that we are in dialogue with the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria to address the shortage of athletic facilities by constructing a new NCAA regulation size baseball field at the Bear River Recreation Center that will complement their softball field — expanding the center’s capacity to host community and college competitive games. This collaboration not only alleviates the shortage of athletic facilities in the area but also strengthens the bond between the college and local tribes, which is central to our Education Master Plan.

In a later phase, the new PE complex will have additional classrooms, a bigger gym that will allow us to host intercollegiate and high school basketball and volleyball events, a dance/aerobics room, a dedicated space for intercollegiate wrestling for both our men’s and women’s teams, and improved access to athletic training services. The field house will move next to the Community Stadium for easier access to the facility and will include an indoor turf practice field.

These investments will improve our ability to bring talented student-athletes together and provide them with a supportive environment to realize their potential. I am confident that, as we take the next steps in our construction, these new facilities are not just new buildings, but represent the College of the Redwoods’ continuing commitment to provide student-athletes with the space to excel and grow as members of our community.

These projects are the result of many hours of planning by College of the Redwoods administrators, staff and faculty who have dedicated their time and efforts to define the programmatic needs of these critical spaces. I encourage you to look at the renderings at this website: https://www.redwoods.edu/about-us/projects.

Dr. Keith Flamer is the president of the College of the Redwoods.