Colby Community College will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 3, to mark the beginning of construction on the Big Blue Barn athletics practice facility. The event, at the site of the old baseball field on the east side of campus, is open to the public.

The 18,000 square-foot building will include a wrestling room, a multi-purpose turfed area with drop-down batting cages, a weight room, a locker room, and a two-lane track around the perimeter. Though the facility will be used to provide a safe area for student-athletes to train, it will also offer opportunities for the general student population and the local community to stay active.

A combination of grants and donations are funding the $1.54 million project. The college made a formal request for bids last November, and the CCC Board of Trustees selected Stephens Construction of Colby at the March 18 meeting.

The facility is expected to open near the end of the fall semester.