According to Kingston’s Mayor Steven T. Noble, the $20 million Dietz Stadium/Andretta Pool Improvements Project is getting closer to moving off the drawing boards and into the reality of full-scale construction. Noble said that the stadium’s construction drawings are now complete, and the process of preparing to receive bids for the construction is underway. He said that while some work has been done under Phase One of the project, once construction begins on Phase Two it should take another 14 to 16 months to be completed.
“This exciting project is a once-in-a-generation investment that will transform the Dietz Stadium complex into a regional draw, a modernized facility that will be the pride of our community,” Noble said. “We ask for the public”™s patience during the construction phase.”
Dietz Stadium is where the Kingston City School District has been holding the annual high school graduation ceremony. The stadium field is the home to high school football games and track and other events are held there. Community groups also are invited to use the stadium and numerous residents use the facility for walking and other exercise.
Some work already has been done including upgrading the exterior of the pool house, improvements and repairs to the pool, and the addition of a splash pad with water features for children.
Renovations to the grandstand complex would include new locker rooms, a 50-yard-line access tunnel to the locker rooms, new benches, a press box upgrade, upgrades to the restrooms, new mechanical and electrical equipment, new coaches offices, a new training room, and improved storage facilities
There would be a new surface for the track, a new turf playing field, new LED stadium lighting and a new scoreboard with large-screen video capabilities. The existing concession building would be demolished and a new concession pavilion created with hookups for food trucks.
There would be new parking, new access drives and new landscaping including the planting of more than 120 new trees.
Municipal bonding is planned to help fund the project, with the city already having received $1.5 million from the state’s Environmental Facilities Corporation, $1 million from the Department of Environmental Conservation and $2.5 million from the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award Kingston received from the state.
