Restoration work to the grandstand overlooking the baseball field in Dickson Park has officially started and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the calendar year, the City of Cambridge says.
A lot of memories have been made at the historic park since it was constructed in 1919.
It was once the local hotspot where diehard and casual fans alike would pull up a seat under the covered grandstand to watch the Guelph Biltmores, Cambridge Cubs and Galt Terriers.
Jaws would drop and eyes would widen as future big leaguers like Rob Ducey and Scott Thorman peppered baseballs over the 279-foot right field fence, creating a safety hazard for motorists and pedestrians out for a stroll along George Street.
But as time has passed, wear and tear has taken hold.
While some maintenance was performed in 1997, many of the grandstand's original features were found to be structurally compromised and in need of repair.
That’s why the City of Cambridge made it a priority last year to do significant restorations in order to preserve the structure for years to come.
Fencing has now been erected, heavy machinery has moved in and city staff can be seen working away by those passing by.
The preliminary price tag for the work, which includes roof replacement, steel framing, painting, wood bleacher replacement where necessary, retaining walls, perimeter wall elastometric coating and railings, was set at $1.5 million.
Signage hanging from the construction fence now shows a figure north of $1.2 million.
“The city undertakes assessments of its facility assets and plans for capital repair and replacement as part of its commitment to the public value of sustainability,” Slobodanka Lekic, manager of building design and construction for the city told CambridgeToday in September while plans were still in the design phase.
“It’s our intent that these facility assets, especially those which hold cultural heritage significance, such as this structure, are maintained and operated for future generations.”
In order to complete the work the city needed to obtain a heritage permit and there was to be an alteration to Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The structure was designated under the act in 2005 as part of the Dickson Hill Heritage Conservation District.
Both heritage staff and the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee agreed that the work was in line with routine maintenance that is necessary for prolonging the use of the grandstand.
Any major improvements are based on the period circa 1871 in order to enhance its sense of history and landscape.
With the city committed to placemaking initiatives that create welcoming spaces, the grandstand will serve the community for various events once work is complete.
“As a key attribute of Dickson Park, the renewal of the Dickson Stadium contributes to the city’s strategic plan objective of ‘placemaking,’ and our commitment to being good stewards of our parks as part of the green spaces objective,” Lekic said.
