March 29, 2024

A Stadium, A Community

Sept. 23, 2016
A STADIUM, A COMMUNITY

By carlin smith

Thursday, August 25 represented a historic night in the community of Petoskey. It was the night that the Public Schools of Petoskey opened the gates of the new Northmen Stadium.

It was a warm, pleasant evening and the people started coming…and they kept coming and coming. The crowd grew to around 4,000. The people strolled the new facility and soaked it in. They stood in very long lines for brats and hot dogs and then ate at the new picnic tables placed along the stadium’s promenade. They shook hands with friends and neighbors and smiled broadly as they examined the stadium’s features. Dare I say the community gushed over Petoskey’s newest amenity?

Northmen Stadium has been a long time coming. Petoskey High School football games and track meets had been played at the old Curtis Field since 1927. The aged facility was across town with little parking, dated restroom facilities, and limited seating; it was time for a change. School officials and community leaders came together in 2014 to make that change happen. The Board of Education agreed to place a proposal on the 2014 ballot asking for .5 mills for ten years to fund a $10 million stadium. Volunteers worked on campaigns, and local organizations -- including the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce -- gave their endorsement and helped to campaign on its behalf.

The voters said yes (in 2007 they had rejected a similar proposal for a $15 million facility). School officials streamlined the project, and when the groundswell of support started to rise, it was hard for voters to say no a second time, and from what I can see, they are pleased with their decision.

Certainly taxpayers are the biggest contributors to the project. But they are not the only contributors. The support has been generous and truly emphasizes the community’s commitment to the stadium.

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians provided funding for new roads that greatly improve access to the school campus. The Kroeger-Mainland Family Fund provided a video scoreboard and other technology features. The Rotary Club of Petoskey started the community support with a fundraising gala and large contributions to the stadium, and the City of Petoskey provided some generous in-kind support and expertise.

So who benefits? The entire community. Certainly the students, especially those who participate in football, track, cross country, softball, soccer, lacrosse, and the marching band. Moms, dads and other spectators enjoy the extra room with seating for 3,000 and hillside seating for another 1,000, plus additional bathroom stalls. There is a new access road to the school campus and increased parking. There is added safety now that all sports competitions and practices will be held on school grounds. And the community is invited to use the new cross-country trail (with pedestrian-friendly under-the-road tunnels) for hiking, jogging, and cross country skiing. And of course the stadium is another source of pride for Petoskey.

There are a few naysayers. I’ve heard some say such an impressive facility is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. I’ve also heard there are some concerned about the noise from the stadium or the lights. But the few negatives are far outnumbered by the positives. That opening night on was the grandest community event I’ve attended here in Petoskey (though I like to think our Chamber puts on some great community events). But I’ve never seen such a cross-section of the community come together and feel so good and so proud of what we accomplished.

I call Northmen Stadium the newest jewel in Petoskey’s crown, Road a jewel we can all share for years to come.

Carlin Smith is the president of the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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