RATHDRUM — An indoor sports complex will be a game changer for Lakeland High School.

With a $200,000 gift from Silverwood Theme Park, fundraising for the $850,000 fieldhouse project has approached the halfway point. Ground is expected to be broken next spring.

"I would just like to say thanks to Silverwood Theme Park," Lakeland High Principal Jimmy Hoffman said Wednesday during a brief presentation at the school, "so much gratitude to donating this amount of money to help us get started on our project that we've been thinking about a lot."

The fieldhouse, expected to be 15,000-20,000 square feet, would support Lakeland's extracurricular activities as well as youth sports in the community, Hoffman said. It will be built adjacent to Corbit Field.

Paul Norton, Silverwood's chief operating officer, said the theme park and Lakeland are partners.

"It was awesome to get the opportunity, when they reached out to see if there was something we could do," Norton said. "It was a no-brainer to jump right in and help out this community. We're not an island; we need each other's support."

He said with the area growing so much, kids need something to do. 

"I'd rather have them do more athletic stuff than a bunch of stuff they're not going to be proud of later in life," Norton said.

Hoffman said the facility will be available for use by students as well as youth sports teams and feeder clubs. Lakeland is a big youth sports community, Hoffman said, from Junior Tackle Football to wrestling and basketball, starting as young as third grade.

"Our entire community is going to benefit from this," Hoffman said. "Our facilities are being crammed until 10 o'clock at night here in our gyms. We just need more space."

The complex will feature an open field turf area, a full-size court and hitting facilities. It will be able to accommodate basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, golf, wrestling and more. The all-purpose facility will also provide a space for tournaments and social events such as banquets and award ceremonies. It will provide covered indoor space during cold, snowy winters and hot, smoky summer days, as well.

"It's just a big, big wide-open multi-use facility," Hoffman said.

Superintendent Lisa Arnold said the charm and the specialness of the Lakeland School District is rooted in community support.

"The man hours that have been put in by the Lakeland High School administrative team and the generous outpouring of support for a project like this will allow families to engage in different ways and provide a space for our kids to hone their skills and be healthy people," she said.

    A rendering of the future fieldhouse at Lakeland High School.