LPOSD ponders Memorial Field proposal

SANDPOINT — The Lake Pend Oreille School Board is expected to decide next month whether or not to approve a resolution of support for the Memorial Field restoration.

City officials and Friends of Memorial Field members dropped by Tuesday’s school board meeting to request a public show of approval for the grandstand reconstruction project. As a result, board members asked LPOSD Superintendent Shawn Woodward to draft a resolution for them to consider at their next meeting. Since board members are taking a break on Dec. 24 for the holidays, that topic will likely be discussed Jan. 14 starting 6 p.m. at Kootenai Elementary.

While they haven’t formally voted on the matter yet, many trustees expressed support for the efforts public officials and private residents alike have invested in the project. Trustee Mindy Cameron said Councilwoman Carrie Logan’s presence and comments at the meeting were particularly encouraging.

“Personally, I think that really says a lot and speaks directly to my sense that we’re all in this together,” Cameron said.

Renovations began with the replacement of the field lights, which had been a safety hazard and once even caught on fire. That process took first priority. With the help of individual donations and contributions from the city of Sandpoint, the lights were replaced for about $250,000.

However, the successful funding and lights installation was a relatively simple task compared to the next step: grandstand renovation. With the 60-year-old grandstands running on borrowed time, field supporters have only a few years left to raise the estimated $2 million needed to replace them.

Friends of Memorial Field members said they are now partnered with a highly-regarded consulting firm, Nelson and Stevenson, to establish an intensive fundraising campaign. The next steps are to find a supplier and finalize the cost of materials, establish a budget and launch an intensive fundraiser this spring.   

The school district has a vested interest in the future of Memorial Field. As the single most frequent user of the city-owned property, the school district uses the field and accompanying grandstands for everything from football games to graduation ceremonies. According to Friends of Memorial Field members, that makes trustee approval a critical element as the nonprofit prepares to launch its fundraising in earnest.

“We’d like to have a partner resolution with the school district that clearly identifies everyone that’s involved in this — that we’ve all agreed this is how we’re moving forward,” said Karl Dye, nonprofit representative.