GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY HELD FOR NEW RIVER VALLEY ATHLETIC COMPLEX

Members of the River Valley School District broke ground on the long-awaited athletic complex Wednesday afternoon.

Eight helmets and shovels were lined up on the field in front of the high school, and at 4 p.m., the countdown to the new home of the Panthers officially began.

Superintendent Phillip Martell said this wouldn’t have been possible without community support.

Along with a new football stadium, a baseball and softball complex are expected. Those will be built on land donated to the district by Charles Kendall, Blairsville native and owner of Kencove Farm Fence Supplies. The fields will be named in honor of Kendall.

Naming rights for the football field, however, are still being discussed.

Martell said the district plans to give back to the community by hosting different events at the complex.

Tiara Stossel, Director of Athletics at River Valley, said they plan on opening the next football season at the complex.

The project is under the direction of RVE and LGA Partners, LLC. Assisting Martell in the groundbreaking ceremony was River Valley School Board President Rick Harper; board members Mary Whitfield and Connie Constantino; River Valley student-athletes Billy Weimer and Sara McConnell; Kevin Wilmot, project manager with RVE; Mike Meyer, Principal of RVE; and Joe Bevins, architect of LGA Partners, LLC.

Photos from the ceremony can be seen below:

Photos by Jake Slebodnick: