Endangered Places 2011 generously sponsored by:
Civic Stadium
Statistics
- Built: 1938
- Designation: National Register of Historic Places
- Significance: Design, community development, entertainment, social history
- Current Status: Today Civic Stadium is literally on the brink. The Eugene School District, 4J, has decided to sell the building with priority going to the highest bidder. Currently, a proposal to scrape the site clean and build a complex anchored by a Fred Meyer store is in the lead.
History
Built as a cooperative between the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, Eugene Public School District No. 4, and the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Civic Stadium is significant to the development of the nation’s favorite pastime, and is one of the oldest extant ballparks in the United States. It has been owned and operated by the 4J School District of Eugene since the land was deeded from the city in 1938. For forty years the stadium served as the home of the Eugene Emeralds, a minor league baseball team.
News and Updates
December 22, 2011:
HPLO awards $2500 grant for conceptual drawings
December 8, 2011:
Save Civic Stadium's
latest news update
Outlet: Save Civic Stadium
November 29, 2011:
HPLO anticipates awarding small grant to assist with conceptual site rehabilitation drawings.
October 17, 2011
Non-historic lights are removed from Civic Stadium
Outlet: KVAL news
October, 2011:
Superintendent
changes course on Civic Stadium lease
Outlet: KMTR News
June 2, 2011:
Board
scraps all Civic offers - The Eugene School District appears to be starting over with the disposition of the historic
stadium property
Outlet: The Register Guard
History continued...
In September 2009 professional baseball left the stadium and six months ago the school district terminated all use of the stadium favoring vacancy. Today, the entire property is for sale with little weight being given to proposals for preservation. When the HPLO sent out the call for nominations, not just one, but two, complete nominations were submitted for Civic. One of the two nominators summed it up best, stating: “The wooden grandstand, the hand-operated scoreboard and the view of the moonrise over the hills to the east all combined for a connection through time between today’s families and friends, and families and friends going back to the 1930s.”
Although Civic Stadium was deeded with the intent to “be used as a recreation area for the School District and for the municipality,” today is it for sale with little consideration given to history and community.