VETERANS MEMORIAL FIELD IN ITHACA NEARS FINISH LINE
It’s already one of the best prep football stadiums in the state of Michigan and in the not-so-distant future it very well could be the best.
Over the past decade-plus Veterans Memorial Field at Ithaca Community Stadium has been a constant hive of activity as it houses and hosts numerous varsity and nonvarsity sports ranging from football to soccer to track and field. Whether it’s a Friday night varsity football game or just a midweek soccer practice there’s usually some kind of activity going on.
Off the field there’s been an equal amount of activity going on too as the stadium has seen its share of renovations and updates over the past decade.
It started with the installation of new bleachers on the visitor’s side and the installation of a 12-by-24-foot Jumbotron video board.
Once that project was complete the renovations moved to the home side of the field where a new two-story concourse was built along with new concessions stands, bathrooms and locker rooms. The home-side updates also included renovations to the press box, plaza entrance and seatback seating in
the bleachers for the home fans, running 100 yards long from end zone to end zone.
A new scoreboard was also installed behind the East end zone while a matching mural celebrating Ithaca football’s incredible state-championship run between 2010 was 2014 was installed behind the West end zone.
Last year new field turf was installed. All in all millions of dollars in renovations have already taken place at Veterans Memorial Field at Ithaca Community Stadium and in the coming months a million or so more will be pumped into the project as it nears its completion.
The project has been primarily funded by a local entrepreneur and businessman who wishes to remain anonymous. Earlier this summer the benefactor created a new annual scholarship fund that awards $5,000 scholarships to one student from each of the six Gratiot County High Schools.
The inaugural Class of 2023 consisted
of Alma’s Devin Dennison, Ashley’s Logan Drummond, Breckenridge’s Emma Nelson, Fulton’s Cayden Curtis, Ithaca’s Caleigh Shook and St. Louis’ Payton Kuhn.
In and of itself the renovations and updates are duly worth noting on their own merit because Veteran’s Memorial Field at Ithaca Community Stadium is already a gem of a venue and in the coming months it’s going to become an even-more incredible venue.
Basically, work has now started on six new structures that will surround the field itself and tie it all together. Therein there will be numerous life-sized military statues honoring each military branch as well as 5-foot-wide bronze Eagles.
The end vision for the project is to have a one-of-a-kind statewide living memorial that honors all 23,000 Michigan veterans and first responders who gave their lives fighting for freedom and democracy since 1900. Walking into the newly-updated entrance plaza from the newly-paved high school parking lot there is a prominent plaque that names and honors every Gratiot County veteran and first responder who died while serving their country.
Last fall the impact of this living me