These past few weeks, local residents have been writing letter after letter into the Courier & Press expressing their desire to save Roberts Stadium and have listed multiple reuse options for the historic facility. I have chosen the following three letters to the editor to show you 1. the public wants to reuse Roberts Stadium 2. they have great ideas for reusing it that need to be explored & 3. You the reader of this blog should do the same. Enjoy....
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/dec/12/no-headline---127/
Turn Roberts Stadium into a disaster center
To the editor:
What looms in the future for Roberts Stadium?
None of us want to think in terms of a disaster, but it could happen in the event of earthquake, tornadoes or terrorist attack.
I see Roberts Stadium as a site for a designated place for an East Side disaster shelter. People know the location well. There is ample parking. The Red Cross is close by. St. Mary's Medical Center is not far away to treat injuries. For an added plus, Buehler's Buy Low grocery store is close as a source of food; Rural King is close by to furnish needed supplies.
There could be other uses for Roberts Stadium, along with being a designated disaster shelter. The parking lot has served as a collection site for Tox-Away Days.
In 1954, under Mayor H.O. Roberts, the city purchased from the state 56.88 acres at a cost of $88,086.50 with the expressed purpose of building a sports arena. Construction of the stadium was completed in 1956. It served us well and still has function.
There should be no competition with the new Downtown arena and Roberts Stadium. SMG could book events for both.
Berniece Tirmenstein
Evansville
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http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/dec/16/no-headline---168/
Old stadium could be a conservatory
To the editor:
Was the conversion of Roberts Stadium into a conservatory with native plantings ever considered in the ball parks planning process? A three-dimensional conservatory and a reduced parking area surrounded by native grasses and wildflowers would complement Wesselman Woods.
The conversion could include skylights and vents in the roof, an overhead watering system that could help summer cooling by using it as a mist, retaining walls to hold earth fill where the seats are now located, and the removal of the under floor pumps with the addition of openings through the floor to connect earth fill with the water table.
A pond surrounded by taller trees could be at the lowest level with smaller trees at higher levels and plantings of grasses, wildflowers and agricultural crops in the "cheap seats" area.
Spiral paths would provide access to all levels. Suspended walkways could cross through tree tops at or above the scoreboard height.
Such a facility could be used as a living laboratory by biology students of all ages. When compared to events at the new arena, the conservatory would attract smaller groups of visitors on a daily basis. The conservatory would be a daytime facility with minimum impact on the surrounding wildlife.
Jim Lott
Newburgh
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http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/dec/16/five-more-ideas-for-stadium-use/
COMMUNITY COMMENT: Five more ideas for stadium use
I have said since April that I am not against the ball fields that the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau wants to build — just the location at Wesselman Park and Roberts Stadium. The CVB has stated there are other locations that they have looked at. Build these fields at one of those locations and leave our park and Roberts Stadium alone.
Roberts Stadium could have several uses:
n Continue to book shows. There should be no competition between the arena and Roberts Stadium. After all, we are all for the financial success of both and we must work together for the good of our city.
n Schedule charity basketball games. For example, USI vs. UE. All proceeds would go to the city for the parks maintenance and improvement. These basketball games would also include women's leagues.
n Rehire the park rangers. If the mayor can find $1.5 millon for razing Roberts Stadium, why can't he use these funds for this purpose. Rehiring the park rangers hopefully will stop any of our children getting stuck with a hypodermic needle which happened in October at Sunset Park.
n Book monster truck shows, home shows and other events that would bring in revenue for the city.
n Disaster control central location for the East Side. I strongly believe that there should be a disaster control location on the West Side, the East Side and Downtown. With the new arena we will have one for Downtown and one for the East Side, but we still need one for the West Side.
Our elected officials should give this serious consideration. A lack of preparation could cost lives.
When a tornado strikes, we normally do not have much time to react. Normally these tornadoes occur at night. Knowing where to go makes things easier in all the confusion that we face during a disaster.
I call for all the politicians to put aside their disagreements and do what is best for our city.
Sherman K. Stevens is a resident of Evansville.
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KEEP THE LETTERS COMING!!!!
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