SANDPOINT — The Friends of Memorial Field have another essential ally in the effort to restore the venerable city park

Lake Pend Oreille School Board unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday supporting the organization of local community members seeking to rebuild the Memorial Field’s grandstands. The show of support is an important step for the Friends of Memorial Field as they anticipate launching a rigorous fundraising campaign this year.

According to the resolution, district officials believe keeping Memorial Field in top condition is in their best interest. That’s because the school district is the city-owned property’s most frequent user for events like sports and graduations. According to district treasurer Lisa Hals, the district pays about $30,000 annually in user fees for that privilege.   

The resolution also states that district officials don’t anticipate any requests for funding coming their way. Indeed, funding was a principle point of discussion among board trustees, with members wondering whether field improvements would be financed through a bond or other means. Hals informed trustees that the intention is to raise the entire estimated $2 million price tag through fundraising alone.

Finally, the resolution reinforces that district officials have considered all options and found Memorial Field to be the most attractive venue for the district both in terms of functionality and cost. In previous meetings, Hals encouraged trustees to cover all their bases by considering district-owned property or property available for purchase to establish a new athletic field. Even if the options weren’t financially feasible, the approach was a matter of due diligence, she said.   

It’s certainly not a cheap improvement, but the planned grandstands will bring along a host of improvements. Most importantly, the new stands will have a life span of about 40 years, preserving Memorial Field as a community institution for years to come. The new stands will also have reduced maintenance costs and expand seating to between 1,200 and 1,500 seats — an up to 67-percent increase. The full seating increase will be determined by the amount of funds raised.