Sangermano said the coronavirus pandemic slowed down construction on the project last year and delayed completion of the site by several months. The complex is slated to host its first indoor event during the first weekend of October, he said.Ĭity officials approved the creation of the complex in July 2017 and work on the site has been ongoing since then. Sangermano said electrical wiring for the 120,000-square-foot indoor facility should be finished later this month. Additionally, there are about 50 acres of land for potential expansion in the future. Three of them have been in operation since last fall. An indoor facility will house 10 basketball courts, ax-throwing lanes, arcade games and a sports bar and restaurant.įour of the seven outdoor turf fields are currently in use and available for rentals. The complex includes an outdoor section, which has artificial turf fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and other sports. 15, but we’re far enough along that I’m confident that, at some point in September, we will be open,” said Peter Sangermano, president and owner of Game On Fitchburg, at 200 Game On Way. “We’re comfortable with the direction the city is going in,” he said.ĭiNatale said he is not interested in making Fitchburg a sanctuary city, because he believes the municipality should “adhere to the rule of the law.FITCHBURG - After nearly five years of planning, construction and delays, the 45-acre athletic complex Game On Fitchburg is expected to be fully open in September.

The city released a statement Thursday afternoon on the immigration issue, which was co-signed by Martineau, Chair of the city Human Rights Commission Barbara Nealon and Mayor Stephen DiNatale.ĭiNatale, who did not attend Friday, said the event came up “quickly.” He said the city’s current relationship with the immigrant community is strong. “The Fitchburg Police Department shall not detain any individual on the basis of a civil immigration detainer on the request of ICE,” he said. Though ICE can hold a person on a civil warrant - which can be granted if a person does not have a green card - the Fitchburg Police Department can only hold someone for ICE if the agency presents a criminal warrant signed by a federal court, according to Martineau. “Local police do not have any authority in immigration law,” he said. At no point does the police department ask a person’s immigration status, he said.

He said everyone who is arrested by the department is fingerprinted and this information is sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to confirm the person’s identity and check for criminal records nationally. Immigration and Customs Enforcement),” he said. “The Fitchburg Police Department shall not detain any individual on the basis of a civil immigration detainer on the request of ICE (U.S. “We haven’t changed our procedures nor will we change our procedures,” he said. The state legislation would limit the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police and prohibit state support of a Muslim registry.įitchburg Police Chief Ernest Martineau said, because of a prior commitment, he was unable to attend the rally, but he wanted to clarify that the department’s policy on immigration status has not changed. Joana Dos Santos, executive director of United Neighbors of Fitchburg, urged the gathering of about 40 people to support the Massachusetts Safe Communities Act. “It is our obligation to stand by the Muslim community now because we need each other today,” he said, then asking: “As a community, who’s next?” Nicolas Formaggia, an immigrant from Uruguay and member of the Spanish American Center, asked community members to support each other. “Refugees from majority Muslim communities are fleeing persecution just like the pilgrims and other immigrants who founded this nation.” “This ban is built on a foundation of fear,” President of the Fitchburg Chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Ijaz Ahmed said. Another order ceased admissions for refugees into the country for 120 days. The gathering in front of “The Immigrant” statue - which was attended by city councilors, nonprofit and education leaders - comes a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban people from seven majority Muslim countries from entering the U.S.

“The great thing about the city of Fitchburg is that we have people from all different backgrounds so today is the idea that we reaffirm our commitment to being a city of immigrants and welcoming to all,” said Eric Rodriguez, director of organizing at the United Neighbors of Fitchburg, who reached out to community leaders to speak at the event. FITCHBURG - Bundled in hats and scarves, community leaders from Fitchburg and surrounding areas shouted over the whizzing cars at the corner of Main and Prichard streets to deliver a message of welcome to immigrants Friday.

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