KAYSVILLE—Davis School District administrators and Kaysville City leaders broke ground March 26 on a new field house at Kaysville Junior High that will serve both the school and Kaysville residents. The facility, part of a voter approved bond, is anticipated to open in 2027.

Davis School District in partnership with Kaysville City worked to provide a space for student recreation during the day and for the city to use the facility in the evening and on weekends.

“The (current) gym is pretty tiny,” said Kaysville Junior High Principal Mark Pendleton. “It’s old. The floor is old. Most schools have more space. This is our only one.”

A little helper with her hard hat on is ready to help break ground for the field house. Courtesy DSD

 There’s no room for school plays, concerts and other activities, he said. “This will have two full size courts. It allows so much more. It’s bigger. There’s a track they can run on, a dance room, just all around more things students can do.”

The building is separate from the school, said Pendleton. “The kids will have to walk a little bit for sporting events, etc.”

Pendleton said the school will have it during school hours. “The city will have it from about 5 p.m. on for residents to play and exercise and on weekends.”

The current gym will become sort of an auditorium, he said. “It will have retractable chairs, and new flooring where students can hold assemblies and performances. They’ll take out the locker room and turn it into a theater class behind the stage. It will be done both inside and outside by 2027.”

Partnering has allowed the city and the school district to make a bigger and better investment for the community, said Kaysville Mayor Tamara Tran. “The city’s needs are primarily in the evenings, weekends and summers, while the school’s needs are primarily on weekday days during the school year. It’s a smart and efficient way to partner and leverage resources.”

Tran shared the story behind the “Field House” name. “The name ‘field house’ is a deliberate nod to something meaningful in Kaysville’s history,” she said. “For many, the term ‘field house’ brings back memories of the old Sam Morgan Field House at Davis High School, which was removed over 20 years ago during the high school’s renovation.”

The Sam Morgan Field House was where friendships were formed, rivalries played out, and many memories were made, said Tran. “We are excited for the opportunities for new memories, friendships and community connection that the Kaysville Field House will bring to generations of our residents.” 

 The facility features: 

• Four full-size basketball courts
• Elevated indoor walking/jogging track
• Fitness and multi-use rooms

Uses include:

• Youth programs like Junior Jazz basketball
• Adult recreation leagues
• Indoor pickleball
• Fitness classes like yoga
• Year-round walking space for seniors and families

“Kaysville has long offered outstanding recreation programs – but we’ve simply run out of space to meet the demand,” Tran said. “The field house changes that. Our residents have continued to ask as we’ve held open houses and surveys for a facility like this.”

“The kids feel like it belongs to them,” said Pendleton. “They’re excited to play there and that it will be there for them.”

“Years from now, when people talk about where they learned to play, to compete, to stay healthy, or simply to connect – they’ll talk about this place,” said Tran. “And they’ll remember that it started right here, today.”

  The field house will be located next to the school at 100 East 350 South, Kaysville.