The Smithtown Town Board and members of the administration visited Charles P. Toner Park (the Armory) in Nesconset, this week to commemorate the official groundbreaking of the highly anticipated upgrades to the athletic fields. Construction is now underway on two new multi-sport athletic fields that will serve the growing needs of local youth sports leagues. The project is expected to be completed by August 2025, just in time for football season—providing approximately 220 local Football, 200 Cheerleading and over 200 Lacrosse families, with their first ever home field.
The new complex will feature:
-
One fully astro-turfed (PFAS and microplastics-free) synthetic field for multi-sport use
-
One hydroseeded natural grass field, engineered with high-quality earth and advanced drainage infrastructure.
-
A concession-style building situated between both fields for convenient use by teams and spectators.
“After extensive collaboration, communication and community engagement with Smithtown parents, coaches, and league leaders, we’re delivering a facility that reflects the needs of the community—a safe, affordable, and official home field for our young athletes. Today marks an exciting new chapter for the children of Smithtown and the future of youth sports in our community. Sports teach invaluable life skills—teamwork, discipline, resilience, and positively impact mental and physical health… Between Toner Park, which includes future plans to upgrade the pickleball courts down the road as well, and the improvements happening to the west at Cy Donnelly, we’re creating a true network of top-tier athletic spaces across Smithtown. This is how we support our families—by investing in their future and building strong, healthy communities.” – Supervisor Ed Wehrheim
Prior to design and construction, both the Parks and Recreation Departments worked closely with local sports leagues and families to determine the most practical and inclusive plan. With some families preferring grass fields and others favoring turf, the Town responded with a balanced solution that everyone applauded—one field of each—to provide safe, high-performance options for all.
Before field construction could begin, the existing terrain required extensive leveling and preparation. The Town added high-quality fill material and installed new drainage infrastructure to ensure the grass field’s long-term health and prevent flooding or pooling after rain. These improvements mean fewer delays and increased field time—a critical upgrade for leagues who previously faced days of cancellations due to weather.
Local athletic leagues have long advocated for more accessible fields. In the past, limited field availability forced teams to travel and pay high permit fees to play outside the township—costs that added up for many families. These new fields at Toner Park offer a cost-effective, community-centered alternative designed to ease that burden and give Smithtown’s youth the facilities they deserve.
In addition to the work underway in Nesconset, the Town is preparing for another major athletic facility upgrade. On the west side of town, Cy Donnelly Park in Kings Park is in the process of its transformation, offering long-awaited field space for Kings Park youth teams that have struggled with local access in recent years. The new athletic fields at Cy Donnelly Park, will provide a home for Kings Park Youth Athletic Leagues for Football, Lacrosse and Soccer. In recent years, these leagues struggled to obtain ample field time and permits for their seasons.
Recent Comments