d2a7d499 bc08 4f55 91b7 b4e826ca252d — PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

VERO BEACH — A years-long vision to honor a fallen student came to fruition this week with the grand opening of a new sports complex and public playground just across from Vero Beach High School. The new facility has an eight-lane track along with field event stations, which now allows the school to host home track and field meets.

Video by Nick Samuel

The complex also includes a 5,000 square-foot playground with ramps, sensory and musical activities, swings and more.

The Jimmy Graves Sports and Community Complex is named after the well-known Vero student and football player who died at age 15 in a boating accident in the Indian River Lagoon nearly 10 years ago.

“Losing Jimmy was the hardest and most difficult thing I faced in my life. He was a special young man. He cared deeply about others. He was kind,” said local attorney Joe Graves, father of Jimmy Graves who attended Vero Beach High School. “Jimmy lived his life in a way that mattered, and he’s still having impact today nearly 10 years after his death.”

Joe Graves held back tears as he spoke about his late son Jimmy.

“There’s countless stories about Jimmy caring for kids who needed help and going out of his way for others. Jimmy taught me the true meaning of service – giving of yourself to help others even when it isn’t easy or convenient,” Graves said.

“I love that kid with all my heart. Seeing his name across the entrance of the complex means more than you’ll ever know. It does more than you know to help ease our pain. Jimmy believed all student athletes should have the same opportunity to compete on their home field in front of their friends and families.”

Video by Nick Samuel

Since Jimmy’s death in December 2016, Joe Graves embarked on a mission to create a youth sports complex on the campus of Vero Beach High School in memory of his son.

Sports teams at Vero Beach High School for track, volleyball and lacrosse, along with a crowd of community members gathered at the facility at 9:30 a.m. Thursday for an unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremony.

The $7.6 million, world-class complex is located at 1900 16th St., just north of the Billy Livings Field at the Citrus Bowl.

“This ribbon cutting represents more than a new track, soccer field, or playground,” schools’ Superintendent David K. Moore said in a statement.

“It reflects our community’s shared commitment to providing high-quality experiences for every student. We are grateful to all our partners including Florida Power & Light Co., the City of Vero Beach, state funding, and private donors whose collaboration made this complex a reality. This facility is a symbol of what we can accomplish when we invest in our students and work together as a community.”

Video by Nick Samuel

Moore underscored how people in the community helped make this vision a reality.

“Ultimately, what we’re celebrating today is community. This was an idea that was in place for a very long time. The only reason we’re able to cut this ribbon today is because the community got behind this idea in very powerful ways,” Moore said.

“We’re able to provide this track and field, this playground, this complex to our community because folks in our community knew how important this was. As we went through the process of raising the funds, what motivated me to do it was listening to the stories that people would tell about how this ground used to be in service of its community. It was a focus point, a central place where our community would come together.”

Graves spoke about the remarkable achievement made possible by public, private and corporate partnerships with the School District of Indian River County, the City of Vero Beach, the Education Foundation of Indian River County and Florida Power & Light Co., along with State Sen. Debbie Mayfield.

“I want to say how deeply grateful my family and I are. What stands here today is far more than a complex. It is a reflection of what can happen when a community decides to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and refuses to give up,” Graves said. Graves thanked longtime supporters of the project.

The track and field sections are both regulated by the Florida High School Athletic Association. For the first time since 2013, Vero Beach High School track and field athletes will be able to compete in track meets held on campus.

Inside the track is a regulation-size soccer field that doubles as a lacrosse field. The facility also has amenities including LED sports lighting, a digital scoreboard, bleachers, a press box, along with concessions, locker rooms and bathrooms.

The complex’s track and field were named after the late Bill Wilson Jr., a Hall-of-Famer track and field coach at Vero Beach High School. Wilson, who died in September 2020, led the Vero team to win two back-to-back state championships in 1989 and 1990.

Graves donated the land to the School District of Indian River County on Jan. 26, 2021. Funds for the $7.6 million project came from a variety of sources.

About $4 million was raised through public and private donations, including $1 million from the City of Vero Beach, $1 million from the now-defunct Education Foundation of Indian River County, and another $2 million from other private and corporate donors.

The rest, approximately $3.4 million, is money from the state’s 2024 Special Appropriations funding, according to Bruce Green, the School District’s chief financial officer.

FPL and its parent company, NextEra Energy, invested $500,000 toward the FPL Bright Spot Playland. The playground is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset, according to school district officials.

Video by Nick Samuel

School District representatives said requests to use the track will be reviewed by school staff and someone will contact the requester within 24 hours. If approved, all required paperwork, proof of insurance, and payment will be due at the time of signing to secure the reservation, according to the School District.

“The School District is currently finalizing procedures related to facility use and will post additional details on the Vero Beach High School website in the coming weeks,” said Kyra Schafte, director of strategic communications and marketing. “Community members are encouraged to check the site for updates as information becomes available.”