APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (Aug. 26, 2026) — The energetic sounds of the Eastview High School (EVHS) marching band filled the air outside the school early on Wednesday, Aug. 26. District 196 school leaders, staff, students, and community partners gathered to celebrate the official opening of the new Eastview High School Activity Center.

 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a major milestone for the district, making Eastview the first of Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools’ four comprehensive high schools to open its new facility.

 

The 60,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art expansion represents the tangible outcome of community support, made possible by District 196 voters who approved a bond referendum in May 2023. Knutson Construction and Wold Architects and Engineers worked alongside school staff to bring the dynamic layout from blueprint to reality.

 

Speaking to a gathered crowd, Superintendent Michael Bolsoni highlighted the collaborative effort and community investment that made the opening possible. 

 

“Today is an exciting day for Eastview, but it’s also an important day for District 196. This is the first of four new high school activity centers that will open across our district,” said Superintendent Bolsoni. “Most importantly, I want to thank our community, whose support of the 2023 Building Our Future referendum made this center a reality. We’re grateful for your investment in our students, our schools, and the future of our district.”

 

Speaking to a gathered crowd, School Board Chair Cory Johnson and EVHS Principal Bruce Miller highlighted how the space bridges wellness, creative pursuits, co-curricular programs, and academic growth under one roof. 

 

Local elected officials also showed their pride at the event, with appearances by state, county, and city leaders, including State Rep. Erin Maye Quade (an EVHS alumna), Apple Valley Mayor Clint Hooppaw, and Dakota County Commissioner Mary Hamann-Roland. 

 

For Eastview High School Principal Bruce Miller, seeing the project transition from blueprints and heavy machinery to an active student space was the fulfillment of a long-held vision.

 

“I remember being here the first weekend of April 2025. I remember watching the safety fencing being installed and impatiently dreaming for this day to arrive.” Principal Miller shared. “More than a year later, here we are admiring this beautiful new addition to our campus. Our students will learn here. They’ll practice here. They will compete here. They will work together here. They will challenge themselves here. They will work hard toward all kinds of goals while connecting with teachers, coaches, program leaders, and each other.”

 

To maintain consistent learning experiences across all high schools, District 196 developed a unified design blueprint for all four upcoming activity

centers. Connected directly to the main school building via a temperature-controlled glass corridor, students can move seamlessly into the activity

center throughout the school day without going outside. 

 

Each of the two-level facilities will feature: 

• Four full-sized courts complete with pickleball striping, volleyball and badminton standards, 24 total basketball hoops (six per court), touchscreen-controlled scoreboards, and curtain dividers for multi-use flexibility.
• An upper-level walking track and lower-level straightaway running lanes, accompanied by a dedicated strength-training room. 
• Spaces designed for academic programs, art rehearsals, community education, and student clubs.
• Floor-to-ceiling windows for natural daylighting, high-grade sound systems, pull-out bleachers, a built-in storm shelter, multi-level Community Education offices, and expanded storage space, including 1,200 square feet beneath mechanical areas. 

 

Students didn’t have to wait too long to experience the new space. Shortly after the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Lightning student-athletes took to the courts, putting the new equipment and playing surfaces to immediate use as they prepared for the start of the 2026-27 school year. 

 

EVHS Activity Center opening sets the pace for identical activity center additions across the district. Apple Valley High School will open its new activity center mid-winter, while construction continues at Eagan and Rosemount high schools, slated for completion in fall 2027 and 2028. 

 

The community is invited to celebrate the official opening and get an up-close look at the project soon. EVHS will host a Community Open House from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20, capping off the school’s homecoming week celebrations.

 

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District 196 provides boundless opportunities and infinite possibilities for more than 29,000 students in early childhood, K-12 and adult education programs, as well as community education programs for lifelong learners of all ages. 

District 196 serves more than 167,000 residents in the cities of Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Coates, Empire, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville and Vermillion Township in Dakota County, Minnesota. For more information, 

visit District196.org.