Students and staff are celebrating the official groundbreaking of the new $21.5 million St. Clair College sports park.

The St. Clair College Student Representative Council, Student Athletic Association and college president Patti France were on hand for the ceremony on Friday.

The multi-million dollar park is being called a "state for the art" multi-sport facility that will provide students with recreational and varsity athletic programming.

It will be located near the existing recreational fields at the far south end of campus.

The financing of the Sports Park will be the responsibility of the Student Representative Council. St. Clair College students have approved a fee protocol that establishes approximately $13 million in funding.

The SRC will broker the delivery of varsity athletics, intramural and recreational activities to the Student Athletic Association. The Student Athletic Association has pledged $1 million to the development of the Sports Park.

The SRC, SAA and college’s administration have worked collaboratively to design the Sports Park’s features.

Plans for the facility include a new soccer stadium, softball stadium, tennis centre and sand volleyball courts.