NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Construction is underway on the Town of Newburgh's new, state-of-the-art recreation center. According to Supervisor Gilbert Piaquadio, the project has been delayed for several years, but progress is underway.

“I feel very good about it," Piaquadio said. "For me, it’s all about the children that are going to use it, and we should’ve had it years ago.”

While the initial plan for a recreation center goes back more than 20 years ago, Piaquadio said the new construction is a significant accomplishment for the community.

“We had $13 million, which came mainly from grants," Piaquadio said. "A major portion of that one-third was from the host agreement from the casino.”

While the facility is expected to hold two basketball courts and an indoor walking track, the business manager for Ironworkers Local 17 said the entire project is community-focused. 

“It’s great that this project used all local labor right here to build it," Matthew Stoddard said. "We keep all of our jobs right here in the community.”

With the help of roughly 30 construction workers, Stoddard said the Newburgh Recreation Center will also foster job opportunities for high school graduates.

“The kids that play in here that don’t go to college... we want them to go to college, but if they don’t, we give them an alternative," Stoddard said.

He said the goal is to create full-circle opportunities – making blue-collar careers in construction and carpentry more accessible to residents.

The Newburgh Recreation Center is expected to open by September 2025.