Veterans Memorial Makes Way for New Park

HARRISONBURG- The Valley League took a major step forward in the development of its facilities in late September with the demolition of Veterans Memorial Stadium in Harrisonburg.

The stadium, the longtime home of the Harrisonburg Turks, was demolished in order to make room for a new Veterans Memorial Stadium that will be home to both the Turks and to James Madison University’s baseball team.

Located on the site of the old Harrisonburg High School, the stadium was home to both the Turks and the Harrisonburg High School baseball programs. JMU took over the site after Harrisonburg built its new high school in 2007, and the university is spending approximately $9 million dollars to convert the site into a new home for its baseball, softball and tennis programs.

Demolition of the stadium began on Monday, September 22 and continued through Friday, September 26. Construction of the new Veterans Memorial Stadium will take approximately one year.

In the summer of 2009, the Turks will play on JMU’s current baseball field before moving into the new facility in the summer of 2010.

“The demolition of the ‘Vet’ has been a bittersweet situation,” Harrisonburg owner and manager Bob Wease said. “Our community has shared many memories and seen an awful lot of outstanding baseball players play here. However, we are definitely looking forward to having a new facility to call home. The Harrisonburg Turks and their fans appreciate the efforts of JMU to show respect to the veterans and maintain some of the history of the old stadium.”

Veterans Memorial Stadium was dedicated in 1948 as a tribute to the 139 area veterans that lost their lives in World War II. A plaque with the names of those veterans had stood outside the stadium until recently when the plaque was moved to a secure facility. This plaque, with the addition of three names left off the original, will be integrated into the design of the new facility.

“Green” practices were used in the demolition of the stadium and the majority of the concrete used in the original stadium will be recycled and used in construction of the new stadium.

The Turks played for 60 years at the stadium and won their most recently in 2000.

Eventual 2008 VBL Champion Luray won the final game at the stadium on July 29 with an 8-1 win over the Turks in the second game of the divisional playoffs.

For memories of the old stadium, please visit here: http://allthingsvalleyleague.typepad.com/ and http://www.aroundthevalleyin60days.blogspot.com/