Nooksack Valley Schools will soon host year-round outdoor recreation with the installation of an all-weather turf field at Nooksack Valley High School, a project made possible by a state grant and donations from the larger Whatcom County community.
 
No levy, bond or operational money from the school district will be used in the project.
 
While still in the early stages of development, NV Schools received a state Recreation and Conservation Office Community Outdoor Athletic Field Grant for $1.2 million, putting NV Schools well on its way to installing a new track and turf field to host soccer, football, lacrosse and other events at the high school.
 
But Nooksack Valley almost couldn’t accept the grant. While the $1.2 million goes a long way in covering the cost of the project, the total price tag is closer to $2.7 million and Matt Galley, superintendent, says the school and the board were not willing to put any existing capital or operational money toward the field.
 
“We decided we could only do it if we could close the gap through private partnerships and sponsorships,” Galley said. When the Whatcom Community Foundation stepped forward to partner with the school district, they did so by securing a significant $500,000 donation from a  supporter of the Nooksack Valley Schools community and students. Galley said it was at that point the district believed they could move forward with accepting the grant, which formally occurred in January 2025.
 
Nooksack Valley hired Zervas Architects on Feb. 4 to lead the project and has a three-year window to finish raising the needed funds and installing the track and turf field.
 
Galley said the benefits of an all-weather turf field run much deeper than high school sports. While a turf field has long been identified as a need for the district—the closest turf fields to the community are more than 20 miles away in Bellingham, Ferndale and Blaine—but has never been included in bond projects to keep costs focused on educational uses.
 
“It is more than a varsity football or soccer field,” Galley says. “We want this to be a year-round community field.”
 
From a school standpoint, the field will allow the high school boys and girls soccer teams to move on campus (they both currently play on grass fields at Nooksack Elementary without access to locker rooms or training facilities) and permit the football team to host games throughout the fall. The site will also be able to host district track meets, playoff events for the sports using the field, high school physical education classes and, just as important, for youth and adult sports throughout the year.
 
“A lot of kids are unable to participate in youth sports because they can’t travel to Blaine or Bellingham and that is a limiting factor,” Galley said. “This is meant to enhance and provide access to our entire community.”
 
Fundraising on the project will continue, spearheaded by both the district and the Whatcom Community Foundation. Individuals and businesses interested in donating will have opportunities to help fund the project. To donate now, visit the Whatcom Community Foundation page here.