College and District officials welcomed a new era for Ventura College and its prestigious athletic program on Sept. 1 when they broke ground on a new sports complex that will give Ventura College home-field advantage for the first time in 50 years.

The groundbreaking ceremony introduced to the students and community the plan for the $8.1 million renovation of Ventura College’s football field and track. Students, members of the District Board of Trustees, and former Ventura College athletes also attended the ceremony. College Dean Steve Tobias, who played football for Ventura College, said the new facilities will help the program on several levels.

“It helps the men’s and women’s track teams greatly by getting rid of the old dirt track and replacing it with a state-of-an-art track,” he said. “Not only will it help the students, but it will help show others how good the quality is of our athletic program here.”

After the presentation, district trustees went down to the track and field where a huge bulldozer was waiting for them. The bulldozer was a sign of a new beginning for Ventura College and an important tool for the remodeling. As the audience watched board member grabbed shovels and posed for pictures while introducing the beginning of Ventura College’s new Sports Complex.

The long-awaited renovations are funded by Measure S, the bond measure passed by Ventura County voters in 2003 that provides $356.3 million for new buildings and renovations in the Ventura County Community College District. The new Sports Complex renovation will begin as soon as possible and will bring new and exciting features to Ventura College. Some of the new features will be a state-of-the-art track as well as a new field that is being installed across many other facilities.

The new field is durable, and made of a synthetic polyethylene playing field that is safe, and requires hardly any maintenance.

A new concession stand, scoreboard, lighting and sound systems are also part of the plan.