Family members of the late MHS football star Robert "Fuzzy" Furlong will join major donors, community supporters, and Montclair School District staff at the Aubrey Lewis Athletic Complex, located on Essex Avenue, to celebrate the completion of the newly-renovated Robert "Fuzzy" Furlong Field House.
Following the dedication ceremony that begins at noon on the grounds of the Furlong Field House on Saturday, Oct. 25, the Mounties football team will take on Clifton High School at 1 p.m.
The finished facility, which stands in Woodman Field, is the result of a 3-year project shared by the Furlong family, the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence, community donors, the school district and the township. Noteworthy support was also provided by True Blue Spirit, an overall school-community initiative created by the MFEE to upgrade athletic facilities and resources at MHS, as well as by the MHS Alumni Association.
With the addition of the field house, the Aubrey Lewis Athletic Complex — consisting of the recently renovated football and baseball fields, running track and now the Furlong Field House – is complete.
"This dedication is truly a joyous event, one we’ve all eagerly awaited," stated Superintendent of Schools Frank Alvarez. "The construction of this state-of-the-art facility is the result of unprecedented generosity on the part of the Furlong family. Their pride in Robert’s accomplishments will live on by benefiting all of the student athletes in our district for many generations to come."
It’s a dream that’s been several years in the making. In the summer of 2005, the Furlong family pledged $3 million to renovate the longstanding Montclair High School Woodman Field House in honor of Robert Furlong, Montclair High School’s Class of 1941 star halfback of the Mounties football team.
Known affectionately as "Fuzzy" during his lifetime, due to his trademark buzz haircut, Robert Furlong had a long, successful career as a marketing executive and entrepreneur before his death in 2003. In the autumn of 2005, his widow, Frances, and the couple’s six children publicly announced the field house donation – possibly the single largest to a public school district in the history of New Jersey.
Local philanthropists Josh and Judy Weston, Charles Johnson, John Whitehead and the late John McMullen then contributed a total of $750,000 to the project. The remainder of the $4.7 million needed for the renovation was supplied by the Montclair School District and the municipal government.
The Oct. 25th ceremony will begin at noon, with Assistant-to-the-Superintendent Bruce Dabney serving as Master of Ceremonies and the superintendent himself, Frank Alvarez, providing a welcome and recognition to the major donors of the project.
Board of Education President John Carlton will recognize MFEE President Julie Jackson, whose group managed the donations, and MHS Alumni Association President John Joyce.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 12:30 p.m. will be followed by closing remarks by MHS Assistant Principal of Athletics and Student Activities, John Porcelli.
The newly renovated facility will consist of a new 2-story wing that includes a home-team room with video capability, a sports reference library and a fitness and weight-training room. The new field house was designed to accommodate not only extra-curricular sports teams but MHS physical education classes as well, and will provide space for public presentations and gatherings.
Following Saturday’s dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Mounties football team will play Clifton High School at 1 p.m.
In preparing for the festivities, Lois Whipple, executive director of MFEE, reflected that "This project was born of a family’s pride in what one very special athlete gave to the township of Montclair. Now every time someone says the name ‘Furlong Field House,’ Robert will be remembered."
For more information about the newly renovated Furlong Field House, contact the MFEE at 973-509-4021.
