There has been a significant development in the effort to preserve Hamtramck Stadium, which is receiving a $50,000 federal grant.
Awarded by the National Park Service as a civil rights grant, the $50,000 will go toward the preservation of the venerable Negro League ballpark. As was we noted in December, the Friends of Hamtramck Stadium recently revealed that it is seeking funds to cover a project that will convert the ballpark into a multipurpose community space while repairing sections of the facility.
The funds are expected to aid in that effort, and Hamtramck, MI officials are indicating that the grant will be a catalyst for that effort. More from The Detroit Free Press:
The city of Hamtramck owns the stadium and said in a statement today that it will use the money “toward predevelopment work for the complete rehabilitation of the historic resource and will include a detailed conditions assessment, construction estimate, architectural plans and specifications.”
Hamtramck Stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
Melanie Markowicz, city planner for Hamtramck, said, “It is my hope that those who visit this site will make a personal connection to the past and the struggle for equal rights.”
Hamtramck Stadium opened in 1930, and is one of a small number of Negro League facilities that remain standing today.
Image courtesy Hamtramck Stadium preservation group.
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