Inside Civic: The Grandstand
October 31, 2017
Civic Park’s grandstand represents more than just seating. It represents the power of sports and local events to unite a community. It represents the legacy of Civic Stadium that will live on in a new facility. It represents fun, and the countless new memories that are waiting to be made at Civic Park.
The stands will seat 2,500 fans. There will be room on the east side of the field for additional seating in the future. Due to the difference in elevation between the field and the upper concourse, the stadium will have a nest-like feel. The upper concourse will be at street-level on the Willamette side. The field will be situated on the lower level, even with the KIDSPORTS Fieldhouse. The stands and the fieldhouse surrounding the field will make for an intimate and inviting game-day atmosphere.
Attending games in the iconic wooden grandstand at Civic Stadium created memories for many Lane County residents, including ECA co-founder Art Johnson. He fondly remembers the first football game held at Civic Stadium. It was a hard-fought match between Eugene High School and the Corvallis Spartans that ended in a 0-0 tie. The entire community came out to cheer on the home team and enjoy the new stadium.
Since that first match, games and community events at Civic Stadium have been shared experiences that brought people from different neighborhoods and backgrounds together to cheer on their local teams. Our goal is for Civic Park to continue that tradition. People from all over the community will be able to come together and cheer on a local semi-professional soccer team, Lane United FC. There will be tournaments, concerts, festivals, and other events throughout the year.
The grandstand will be the heart of Civic Park, both as a community hub and as a support system for the KIDSPORTS Fieldhouse. Ticket sales and venue rental fees will support operations of the facility. Proceeds will also fund KIDSPORTS programs that expand access to physical activity for local children. In return, facility user groups will benefit from the increase in young athletes and parents who are involved in KIDSPORTS and are interested in watching and playing sports. It’s a groundbreaking partnership that will support the growth of each party involved. We believe it could be key to transforming the state of physical fitness in our community.
The grandstand at Civic Park may not be the first feature you think of when you imagine that new facility, but perhaps it should be. As the center of community events at the site, the grandstands embody the unifying and collaborative spirit of Civic Park. So get your tickets, grab some popcorn and a lemonade on the concourse, and find your seat; the game’s about to start!
