Hempstead Town installs turf field hockey, lacrosse, soccer fields at Point Lookout

Town of Hempstead officials on Thursday broke ground on a pair of synthetic turf fields for field hockey, lacrosse and soccer.

The multimillion-dollar project at the town park at Point Lookout on Lido Beach boasts two side-by-side fields, both of which are bigger than football fields, outfitted with goalposts for the trio of sports as well as an electronic scoreboard, according to a Town of Hempstead news release.

The two fields, plus lighting for evening events and an administration building, are projected to cost around $8 million, spokesperson Brian Devine said in an email on Thursday. He added that "a realistic timeline" for the project’s completion "would be early to mid summer."

The fields will be "lined for all levels of play from professional to all-ages," according to the release, and "will be made available to local leagues as well as tournament organizers throughout the country."

The new facility will be outfitted with drainage and irrigation systems to prevent flooding, according to the release. The fields, located along the shoreline, are expected to be "a premier destination" from locals to far away players, Supervisor Don Clavin said in a statement. He added that the investment would bring "extra visitors and revenue" to the town.

Gordon Purdie, the head coach of Adelphi University men's lacrosse team, and Tanner Sands, the general manager of the Uniondale-based Long Island Rough Riders soccer club, joined the elected officials for Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony. Sands said the fields were just one phase in a plan to expand youth athletics in Hempstead.

"Beyond the new fields, we’re proud to be in the final stages of launching a game-changing partnership between the Town and MLS GO — one that will break down barriers and provide greater access to the sport for all residents," Sands said in the release, referring to Major League Soccer's recreational youth program.

The project also addresses an Islandwide issue, Clavin said.

"Long Island is a hotbed of athletic talent and organizations, and many have expressed their difficulties in finding quality playing locations," he said in a statement. "So much so, that travel teams will travel to other states to play against local Long Island teams."