OLD LYME, Conn. -- The Lyme-Old Lyme High School dedicated a new track on Thursday for all of the sports teams to use year round. The track will also serve as a memorial to an Old Lyme graduate.

Despite some raindrops, the new facility was christened on Thursday. It was built in honor of Charles “Chuck” Niblack, a 1988 graduate who was killed in a car accident. His parents led the $1.7 million fundraising effort for the new facility.

John Niblack said, “He took part in all the running events, lettered in track and took part in local triathlons. He was a real action guy.”

Before the track was officially opened, the school community gathered to pay tribute to the Niblacks and to remember Chuck and John Niblack had a message for the Old Lyme runners, “Make Chuck proud.”

Niblack said, “I know he would have just had a ball on this track, and I know he would encourage all of you kids out there to just jump on it and build the finest track team in all of Connecticut. So do it.”