A flurry of wins for the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury over the last month includes newly announced state and private investments – one of them a historic new partnership with the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) – as the facility approaches its 30th anniversary next year.

Late last month, the Reggie, as the center is popularly described, and the BAA announced a groundbreaking collaboration that could bring in $1.3 million for the facility over three years. In addition, said Michael Turner, the center’s executive director, Gov. Healey and legislators have included $22 million for the Reggie in their capital plan for Fiscal Years 2026-2030, essentially making help for the facility a priority in the state’s funding outlays during those years. For their part. local legislators said they were confident the measure had enough support to get into an upcoming capital spending bill.

Reggie Lewis Center Executive Director Michael Turner said it runs a statewide facility with state funding and must host more than 100 indoor high school track meets per year, which makes it hard for the center to accommodate traditional practice and meet times for BPS students.

On the fundraising front, Roxbury Community College (RCC) and the Reggie kicked off a $5 million fundraising campaign that will run through 2025.

The Reggie and BAA collaboration includes a $700,000 grant for programming over the next three years, and permission to fundraise via the Boston Marathon as well – an initiative that could hike the overall support to $1.3 million.

“There’s no better way we can live out our mission than by putting on good events and channeling that back into the community,” said BAA Director Jack Fleming of the announcement on Oct. 24. “This is a perfect example of that. This partnership is a first of its kind for the BAA, but we believe this is the kind of community support through grass-roots activities that we will be doing more of…It is a journey of fitness that we believe in.”

At the same event, RCC President Dr. Jonathan Jefferson announced the fundraising effort, the money from which will supplement the BAA and state commitments to refurbish the basketball courts and the track.

“We are kicking off the celebration of Reggie 30, and we are announcing the fundraising campaign … to support this esteemed institution,” he said. “Thanks to the generosity of the BAA, we are at least $1.3 million closer to that $5 million goal.”

Finding the funding necessary for maintenance and upgrades has been a nagging issue for the facility as it looked toward 30 years in business, but optimism is high that the center will be in tip-top shape by its 30th birthday.

“The first thing that will help is we need to replace the roof and the HVAC system,” Turner said. “They have to be replaced and that’s $12 million right off the bat. From that we’re going to talk to them and see how we can spend the remaining $10 million. To replace everything that we need in this facility and the fieldhouse is $6.2 million.”

State Reps. Russell Holmes and Chynah Tyler were instrumental in getting state money secured in the capital budget. “We still need the governor to actually do it,” said Holmes. “I can say, though, when we can get private money secured like with the BAA collaboration, that helps me to advocate for public money at the State House.”

Steven Tomkins, Reggie board chair and the sheriff of Suffolk County sheriff, said there are several events planned for the 30th anniversary celebration, including a 5K run in Franklin Park, a golf tournament in Franklin Park, a Night at the Reggie Gala, and a health and healing forum.
“These are the things people will talk about 30 years from now,” Tompkins said.

For his part, Turner said, he already has plans for the BAA programming money that would benefit BPS students and the surrounding communities with a youth fitness program.

“That’s one of the things we’re continuing to develop and launch at the end of track season,” he said. “We’re looking to finalize development of that by April. That’s going to be opened to the community, to BPS, and anybody that can get here to take part in it.”