A dream field becomes reality

A project years in the making finally came to fruition this past fall.

Mumblings about renovating War Memorial Field and the area around the site started about 15 years ago and, this past August, the city and community ushered in a new era with the installation of artificial turf at the facility.

Several years ago, the grandstands at Barlow Stadium were brought back to life and a new entryway was added, but improving the field surface was always the crown jewel.

The discussion and debate about an artificial versus natural surface ragged on for months, but ultimately when the decision was made one thing won out — playability.

“While many in the community preferred the natural turf to the artificial, we simply could not meet the demand for field time with a natural surface,” City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said. “Our new field provides months of additional playing time and ensures that we can accommodate other important community events such as the Festival at Sandpoint.”

The benefits of the new surface can be seen every day as drivers glide down Ontario Street. For the first time maybe ever, athletes participating in spring sports were able to get outside and practice on a field in mid-to-late February.

The first high school baseball and softball games on the new surface were held in mid-March, something that was never an option in the past due to melting snow and poor drainage.

Weather in North Idaho is far from predictable and having a consistent, reliable field helps take some of that uncertainty away, Sandpoint Athletic Director Kris Knowles said.

“For what we have, in my mind it was an absolute no-brainer to go to the artificial because that is what's best for kids,” he said.

Knowles took over as AD in 2012 and he said it was apparent to him right away that something needed to change at War Memorial Field. The condition of the field was always an issue, he said.

“Every practice, every game, every day was a little bit different and you never knew what you were going to get,” he said.

And visiting schools were aware of the issues with the field and some refused to play soccer games at the site due to the safety concerns, Knowles said. But not anymore. Now every team and athlete wants to travel to Sandpoint and have a chance to step on the new surface.

“Having that artificial surface is an absolute game changer,” he said.

The facility now rivals any other high school site in the Northwest, Knowles said, and the kids who utilize it regularly recognize that.

“I don’t know that Sandpoint kids have been able to have that kind of pride,” he said, “like we have the best facility in the region … and I’ve seen a little bit of that pride swell up.”

The field is also multi-use and is stripped for lacrosse, soccer, football, baseball and softball, opening up more opportunities for kids in the community to participate in youth sports.

In the eight months since the turf was put in, Knowles said he hasn’t received a single complaint about the surface.

The installation of the artificial turf, part of Phase 1 of the project to improve War Memorial Field, was completed on-time and made possible by the local option sales tax passed by Sandpoint voters in 2015. Over five years, the tax, which expired at the start of 2021, collected about $6.75 million, and Stapleton said the city delivered on the promise they made to voters.

Phase 2 of the project got underway this past fall with the addition of dugouts and an expanded parking lot, reconstruction of the boat launch, new restrooms, a non-motorized launch and an ADA-accessible walkway to the waterfront are just some of the planned improvements coming soon.

“The park and amenities, as constructed, will be enjoyed for generations to come,” Stapleton said.

War Memorial Field is just one of several parks the city envisions improving under their Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Stapleton said the success of this project sets the stage for future efforts to renovate parks in the area and community support and participation for those ideas are already going.

Stapleton said the Bonner County Skatepark Association, a recently formed nonprofit, is raising funds to expand skate features at Hickory Park, the ShakaPaw Pet Market is donating all proceeds of a self-dog wash to an envisioned waterfront dog park next to Memorial Field, and plans for a historic carousel and art display at City Beach or Sand Creek and an ice rink are currently ongoing.

“It all starts with a collective vision and that first shared vision was the War Memorial Field complex our community is enjoying today,” she said.

Knowles said when the effort started to push for an artificial field, he spent hours on the phone talking to people about the benefits of it over a natural one. Not everyone was on board with the change in surface, but Knowles was impressed with how the athletic programs in Sandpoint banded together to encourage the new surface.

Knowles said there’s a reason why artificial turfs are being installed at high school sites across the country.

“Places that have the opportunity to do it, they’re taking advantage of it,” he said.

Despite moving away from the natural surface that graced the site for decades, Knowles feels they still honored the wishes of the founders of War Memorial Field by providing kids the best possible field to play on.

“I am just so thankful and grateful that our community was willing to do that,” he said.

Parks and Recreation Kim Woodruff has been along for the ride since the idea of renovating the facility was tossed around.

He said being a part of such a long journey made seeing the finished product that much more gratifying.

“Through the process our town pulled together,” he said, “... I was physically overwhelmed from the inside out with our community, not only the can do, but the will do spirit. Last fall, when I sneaked into a dark coaching booth to watch Police Chief Corey Coon coach his ninth grade kids to victory, it was like a dream come true.”