Queens Borough President Donovan Richards returned to his old Jamaica High School campus this week, hard hat on and shovel in hand, to break ground on a $7.7 million track and field he says will also double as a cricket pitch. Richards, who once walked those halls as a student, cast the project as a big step forward for both campus life and neighborhood athletics, with local elected officials and community members turning out for the ceremony.
According to a post on X by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, the groundbreaking happened on April 29 and the work comes with a $7.7 million price tag. Richards said the project will deliver a top-notch track and field on the same grounds where he studied years ago.
“This amazing new space we broke ground on yesterday will even double as the first cricket field at a public school,” Richards wrote in a post on X. The line drew extra attention, since Queens already has multiple cricket pitches in public parks, while school-based cricket turf remains a relative rarity.
When I went to Jamaica High School, I couldn't imagine a day like this. But my former campus will soon have a top-notch $7.7 million track and field of its own. This amazing new space we broke ground on yesterday will even double as the first cricket field at a public school. https://x.com/i/status/2049849559061262663
— Donovan Richards (@qnsbprichards) April 30, 2026
Cricket And Track Already Part Of Queens Athletic Life
Cricket has been steadily growing as a community sport across Queens, with parks such as Baisley Pond Park offering dedicated pitches for organized matches. The New York City Parks Department lists cricket fields at several sites around the borough, while the Department of Education’s Public Schools Athletic League officially includes cricket on its sports roster, signaling ongoing interest among city students. NYC Parks and PSAL outline the existing infrastructure and competition landscape for the sport.
A Local Pattern Of School-Field Investments
The Jamaica High School project is arriving alongside a broader wave of school athletics upgrades in Queens. A New York City Council press release notes that elected officials and the School Construction Authority broke ground in 2024 on a nearly $59 million athletic field and fieldhouse at August Martin High School, underscoring a pattern of large public investments in school sports facilities across the borough. NYC Council.
What We Still Do Not Know
Richards’ public comments have zeroed in on the cost and the promise of a combined track and cricket space, but they leave several basics unanswered. Key details such as the construction timeline, the contractor and any additional funding partners have not yet been laid out beyond the initial announcement. Officials also have not released a full project page or construction schedule with technical specifics. We will update this story as more information and official documents are made available.
