Officials break ground on Omaha North HS stadium, new YMCA

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - On Friday, there will be a groundbreaking for the new high school stadium and YMCA building in North Omaha.

Butler-Gast YMCA, located near 35th Street and Ames Avenue, will get upgraded as part of a joint project organizers say is “fully funded and underway.” The project was announced back in April.

“Just to walk outside your school and walk right across the street and be right in your stadium and right where you put in all your work kids, I’m sure will play with a lot more confidence and comfortability of being at home,” said Larry Martin, head football coach for North.

The concept for the new football field came from the classrooms of North High School more than 10 years ago.

Retired North High principal Gene Haynes was an OPS administrator for more than 40 years. He tells us North High School students have been designing their own football stadium for years.

“I’m so proud of all of those kids that put forth the effort members of the class of 2014 put up some renderings of what the stadium should look like and their plans and I met those kids once a month and we just talked about the future of North High School,” Haynes said.

The dream of North High School’s very own football stadium finally came true with work done in the school’s engineering class.

“It took us through a civic process so we had to learn about surveys doing research and then understanding the needs of our school as well as the community as well, so we’re really excited for this to come to fruition it just seemed like a really cool project to work on but to know that it’s going to materialize to something that’s going to materialize the experience for North High students as well as the North Omaha community,” said Lasha Goodwin, Omaha North class of 2014.

Project Game On, set for completion in Summer 2027, will include construction of a football, soccer, and lacrosse stadium for Omaha North High School on a portion of the same property.

The marching band, drum line, drill teams, step team, JROTC, and other activities will also move into the new stadium.

World boxing champion and Omaha native Terence “Bud” Crawford made an appearance at the announcement to show his support.

Some of the students from the class of 2014 attended the groundbreaking ceremony. They’re glad to see what they learned in class will have an impact on the community.

Principal Haynes is excited. And he’s proud of his former students who have made the community’s dream come true.

The total YMCA, North High football stadium project is estimated to cost more than $50 million, both facilities are set to open in the summer of 2027.

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