(La Porte, IN) - The process has begun for determining the fate of Kiwanis Field, the longtime home of the La Porte High School football team and other school related activities.

 

La Porte Schools Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood said a committee is being formed to look into things like the existing condition of the stadium and costs of renovating the structure versus constructing a new facility.

 

“I think we all recognize very much how much meaning Kiwanis Field has to this community and we want to be able to honor that and acknowledge that.  We have to look at this from a big picture perspective, though, because there is, of course, costs associated with any move that we make,” she said.

 

The formation of a committee is the first response, perhaps, the school corporation has formally made in response to repeated demands from Preserve Historic La Porte, a group that has offered in recent years to pay for a study to determine the cost of renovating the stadium constructed in 1950.

 

The group has also offered to pay for applying to have Kiwanis Field placed on the National Register of Historic Places, claiming such a designation would open the door for pursuing grants to help renovate and maintain the structure.

 

Preserve Historic La Porte has been pushing the school corporation to move forward out of concern the condition of Kiwanis Field will worsen the longer its future remains unaddressed.

 

The group is also behind an online petition drive that currently has 748 verified signatures in support of saving the structure.

 

“I think a lot of people have a different opinion on what the best path forward is.  I think the one thing within our district we can all agree on is that we want to have a facility that meets the needs of our students and our football program moving forward with updated and modern facilities,” she said.

 

Wood said she anticipates the committee to come back as soon as early fall with a recommendation for the school board. She said the recommendation could include options for the school board to decide which one fits best within the corporation’s budget.