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Improvements eyed for Salem stadium
SALEM
The Salem school board and the Salem Preservation Society plan to work together on improvements to the district’s football stadium.
The plan was announced during the school board’s Monday meeting.
David L. Sommers, an architect who hailed from Salem, is working on the plans for Reilly Stadium.
Iron gates at the northern side of the stadium that face Pershing Street are in need of repair.
David Schwartz, a member of the city preservation society, said part of the stadium “will have to come down before it goes back up.” His wife, Arlene, is also a member of the preservation society.
David Stratton, the director of the Salem Historical Society Museum, said the museum is not directly involved in the project but believes that the initial cost will be about $25,000.
The eastern side of the stadium is also walled. But school officials said that there is dirt against the base of some of the walls that is much higher than the base on the other side of the wall.
School board members said that the ground wall will have to be dug out and replaced.
The board members said they are just beginning the project and have no idea of the final designs or costs.
Ginger Grilli, a preservationist in Salem, had tried to get funds for some of the work at the track through a program where people could vote on the Internet for their favorite project.
She has said that Salem’s bid fell short.
The stadium hosted John F. Kennedy, who spoke there before he was elected president, and Olympic runner Jesse Owens once raced at the stadium’s track.