Answer Man: Asheville's Memorial Stadium field still unusable? Progress of new track?

ASHEVILLE - Today's burning question has to do with the progress of construction of a running track at Memorial Stadium and replacement of the artificial turf, which was recently installed then taken out again. Got a question for Answer Man or Answer Woman? Email Executive Editor Karen Chávez at KChavez@citizentimes.com and your question could appear in an upcoming column.

Question: Memorial Stadium is one of the only public multi-use sports fields near the city center. It was closed for more than half a year to work on the field and artificial turf. When that finished it was open for about a year, but now it's closed again for construction. What is going on?

Answer: This is a saga that we've covered since 2022. It involves millions of dollars in taxpayer funded bond borrowing, unfulfilled promises to a historic Black neighborhood and a popular local minor league soccer team whose fans briefly made the stadium one of the liveliest spots in town.

But first, the important part (and the bad news): The field and new six-lane competitive track are scheduled to be ready for use in June. So, there's still more than a six-month wait for the public.

Why the stadium has gone through recent renovations, then renovations again has to do with history, location and popularity, according to coverage by our city government reporter, Sarah Honosky.

"The city-owned stadium opened in 1927 and in the middle of the historic Black East End/Valley Street neighborhood, and next to Mountainside Park and McCormick Field, home of the Asheville Tourists."

Memorial originally had a cinder track used by the schools that was later converted to an artificial surface. By the late 1970s, with the stadium no longer used for competitive running, the track became a community recreation amenity.

For generations, it served the area's Black community and was home to local recreation teams and high school leagues.

In the lead-up to the 1970s, much of the East End/Valley Street neighborhood bordering Memorial was demolished and its residents displaced by urban renewal projects, redlining and the construction of South Charlotte Street, according to the city's website.

The track was removed during a renovation in the mid-2000s, and the first artificial turf for the field was laid in 2004. Starting in 2001, the stadium hosted a local minor league women's soccer team, first named the Rapids, then the Splash, though the team folded in 2004.

The new turf was a game changer and residents began in earnest using the field for football, soccer and other sports. In 2016, the men's minor league Asheville City Soccer Club formed, expanding to include a women's team and drawing thousands of exuberant fans.

In 2022, the city used bond money to fund $1.7 million to fix problems with water ponding on the field and for new turf.

But that same year, following outcry from East End/Valley Street residents who said municipal officials had long promised to build a new track, City Council unanimously approved a $4.4 million project to take back up the turf and install a six-lane competitive track.

“I feel tired, but justified, and happy for the community," said council member Antanette Mosley, an East End native, after the March 22, 2022, vote.

The money would pay for new restrooms and storage, an expanded plaza and removal of metal bleachers, additional walking trails nearby and playground improvements.

City officials said the same turf would be reinstalled and downplayed any wasted costs and effort.

"The turf installed (and associated elements such as geo-textile weed barrier, cushion, etc.) is the same turf that will be reinstalled," said city spokesperson Kim Miller. "It’s similar to rolling up a rug in one’s home, moving it several inches or feet, and then unrolling it. The turf will simply be shifted when it’s reinstalled followed by standard leveling and performance grading."

Meanwhile, groups that used Memorial have been shifted to other places, such as Roger Farmer Park in West Asheville.

When the turf does go back down, it will be on a smaller field, one that won't accommodate Asheville City Soccer Club. The team had moved to UNC Asheville but wanted to return to its more central location near downtown. While the new field size, 63.5 yards by 120 yards, does meet minimum soccer standards, it is too small for the USL League Two, the minor league the club plays in, which requires at least 66 yards in width, Ryan Kelley, owner and past president of Asheville City Soccer Club, told the Citizen Times in February.

"We won't be able to play on a field that narrow," Kelley said.

More: Reparations architect for Black Asheville residents gets Soros fellowship to spread idea

Dust bowl to frenzied fans, Asheville City Soccer Club heralds new era

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Answer Man: Asheville's Memorial Stadium field still unusable?