Thursday was the biggest day yet for organizers of the more than $30 million Clyde Park and Duluth Heritage Sports Center in Lincoln Park/West End.
Bright and early, contractors started ripping up giant slabs of concrete as they prepare the 10.5- acre site for construction of a shared parking lot, new road and phase I of the Heritage Sports Center, which includes an indoor ice arena and Heritage Hall with its locker rooms, concessions, Boys and Girls Club programs and offices, fitness center, computer labs and classrooms.
"It's a great day," said Duluth businessman Alex Giuliani. "We all knew this was coming. But for the general public, who were asking 'When is this going to happen?' physically being able to see the work means the community can see it is a reality now."
Later Thursday afternoon, the Duluth School Board kicked in its promised part and voted 6-0 to approve more than $1.2 million to the sports center at a special meeting.
Organizers of the nonprofit Heritage Sports Center Corp. were up against the tightest of deadlines Thursday. If work hadn't begun, the project could, in theory, have lost the city of Duluth's $1.8 million contribution as well as about $3 million in Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development grants.
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But the nonprofit beat its deadline with the state by two days, said city business developer Heidi Timm-Bijold.
"I think what is most impressive that people don't realize that this project, with all its public and private partners and donors, came together in just 20 months," she said. "People should be going, 'Wow.' "
