NYA To Expand Sports Complex

By Kendra Bobowick

“Four years, and time for a change,” said Peter D’Amico, Newtown Youth Academy (NYA) founder and director. Renovations — a private $1 million investment — will begin this week at the 86,000-square-foot sports complex that he built in Fairfield Hills. The NYA opened for use in November 2008.

Changes will include additional square footage for recreational/multipurpose space, resurfacing the athletic courts, and reassigning the uses of the two main wings — the track and field house and the turf wing — where guests play basketball, racquetball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, run on the track, and more. He hopes to make a more efficient use of space, he said. Changes will not have a large affect on programming and group fitness class, personal fitness training and instruction, which will continue throughout the upgrade.

Earlier this year Mr D’Amico had reached out to primary stakeholders, met with local youth sports program coaches and managers, Newtown Parks and Recreation staff, NYA employees and managers, and individuals participating in the sports training and fitness. “We asked and listened and came up with a plan,” Mr D’Amico said. Court surfaces will be upgraded “to optimize grip and slide,” he said, offering one example. Why? “You work things and you learn, and we have learned what works and what doesn’t.”

As the changes take place during the coming months, he said, “I think the facility will be significantly better and go from great to the best.”

Three primary areas inside the building will all see changes.

Starting this week the facility began a multiphased construction plan affecting the fitness center, the turf wing, and the track and field house.

Sports wing manager Kathy Brophy looks forward to changes. The current space will be reconfigured, adding new dedicated areas for sport-specific training, expanding to create greater flexibility and access for sports groups and training, community events, and family fun.

The project’s estimated completion date is in November Ms Brophy said.

The fitness center will be expanded by 2,750 square feet to include a new functional performance lab, group fitness studio, and dedicated room for spin classes. Ms Brophy explained that the fitness studio and performance lab are additions. The existing spin room currently serves as multipurpose space, she said. The building’s footprint will not change. Mr D’Amico explained this week that a wall will go up inside the building and second floor rooms will be included in what is now a cathedral space.

The track and field house, a multisport wing, will be redesigned for athletic and recreational activities with dedicated areas for sport-specific training. This week Mr D’Amico talked about newer areas to practice batting, a room dedicated for children’s programming, storage, and more. Children’s Program Director Courtney Myslewski said, “We can always count on this space…” She hopes to start children’s parties, too, she said.

Two new multiuse courts, a tennis court, a newly designed indoor track, dedicated space for daytime NYAKids and ClubFun, and a state-of-the-art baseball/softball training center are all also in the plans. Flooring materials will be better for the various sports, said Ms Brophy.

“The tennis court will be more tennis friendly,” she said. The NYA had a multipurpose floor, but customers wanted courts more suited for basketball, for example, she said.

The new turf wing will be approximately 30 percent larger than the current space. The new space will be more versatile, allowing the turf to be divided into multiple sections of varying sizes. The full field will be lined for both soccer and lacrosse.

“This gives us more flexibility to meet customers’ needs,” Ms Brophy said.

NYA will also be adding a multipurpose conference room and a motion analysis/sports tech center. Mr D’Amico said the center will help coaches and athletes “study how the athlete is doing and improve.”

The room will include cameras and software to provide “instant feedback,” explained Mr D’Amico’s assistant Kaki Taylor.

Fitness Manager Dorrie Carolan is excited that the project, which will include a new group fitness room, is finally happening. “It’s been on my wish list since day one! It’s been interesting to watch the progression of the changes at NYA, all of which have been very positive.”

She said that when the fitness center was included in the project at NYA, group fitness was not a part of the original design. A small room was included and eventually made into a group fitness room. “Unfortunately, it limited the amount of people able to attend class. We will now be able to hold larger classes and have a dedicated spin room.” She said the changes “will be awesome!”

Claris Construction Inc will be doing the work.

Background

Since the opening of the multiuse sports complex on November 1, 2008, NYA has served as a hub for community activity, fitness training, and sports competitions. It has gained a reputation for being a safe, clean, eco-friendly, and ultramodern facility that services Newtown residents and the surrounding communities.

According to its website, NYA is a not-for-profit, community-centered organization dedicated to providing a safe and constructive environment that will benefit the health, fitness, and general well-being of all Newtown area residents. The NYA is the realization of a dream held by Mr D’Amico, whose lifelong love of coaching and athletics inspired the idea to create a place where people could develop an appreciation for sports, enjoy general fitness, and an enhanced quality of life.