LIBERTY — Vehicles packed the parking lot at the Walnut Mountain athletic field on Saturday evening for a Liberty Warriors youth football game. 

It was an especially significant occasion, however, as the Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Department officially flipped the switch on new stadium lights for the field.

“This lighting dedication was a long-overdue process,” said James Guara, Town of Liberty’s Assistant Recreation Director. “It’s been a crazy round of events, but we’re finally here and we have a lot more to keep going. This is just the start of it.”

Guara was joined by John Schenck of NYSEG and Chris Schmidt of Schimdt Wholesale who had helped make the stadium lights possible. Also thanked was Michael Popolillo of American Electric.

“This field is for the kids and the town of Liberty,” Guara said.

With that, a crowd of people counted down from three. A moment after the ceremonial ribbon was cut the field was illuminated for the first time in bright light.