Elysian school will soon have a track and sports field with the quality that many students don't see until high school.
And it's a facility that will be safe for games and P.E. classes.
It was a day of celebration at Elysian School in west Billings.
Students are excited about a groundbreaking for a $4.1 million facility for track and field, football, soccer and lacrosse.
The west side of the track will be just about out to a service road and parallel to it.
A curved part and the north endzone will be closer to the school and the field will run north and south.
It'll be here for the community and most importantly for the students here in Elysian.
"We're hoping to have some football games on that field next year," Superintendent Luke Shelton said to students at the groundbreaking. "Won't that be awesome?"
The project includes a turf field along with a synthetic track and lights.
This is after voters in Elyisan's district passed two bonds to buy the land and build the field.
"I don't know of another K-8, specifically just K-8 school in Montana that has an artificial track and field, just for that school," Shelton said.
Board vice-chair Mark Kane says the facility will be similar to the track and field that Lockwood Schools recently built, but smaller and with fewer seats.
"I know how proud they are of what they've built," Kane said. "I believe our community is going to be as proud of what we're building here, as Lockwood is proud of theirs."
And it will be built by the same company.
Langlas & Associates have built several similar tracks around the state including in Lockwood and Red Lodge.
"We have fun doing these projects for the schools and the kids get a kick out of it," said Emily Mainwaring," Langlas assistant project manager. "It's an opportunity to teach them something."
Construction will start next week.
The hope is it is ready for football season, but it's also estimated it may take until the end of the year.
