MASON CITY – A little piece of history has vanished from the community as the decades-old visitor’s bleachers at Mason City’s Riverhawk Field have been demolished.
The usefulness of the visitor’s side bleachers at the stadium seating area had run its course, according to Randy Meyer, head maintenance man for the Mason City School District. A decision was made in the district that the structure must be demolished and replaced. Weeks ago, McKinness Excavating, at a cost of about $5,800, was at the site on a warm, sunny afternoon to take the bleachers down.
According to Randy Meyer, the bleachers were deteriorating fast and were close to not being safe.
“They served their purpose. They were pushing 50 years of age. It was a safety thing, and spectators need handicapped access, too, which these did not offer.”
Meyer told NIT that these bleachers originated at the old Roosevelt football field, now home to Lincoln Intermediate School. In the 1980’s he said, they were re-located to the Mohawk Field site. He explained that the bleachers were made of plywood and fiberglass with a steel frame. They were “really beyond repair, not worth the time and effort.”
“It was a project that we were hoping to do next year, but the decline was accelerated,” Meyer told NIT, and the time get started was now.
The McKinness crew used a crane and a dump truck to dismantle the structure and load it up to be taken to the landfill.
After the bleachers were gone, a crew from Larry Elwood Construction re-formatted the concrete base foundation in preparation for a new set of bleachers.
Meyer said new, modern, yet basic bleachers are coming from American Aluminum Seating out of Marshalltown, Iowa. The new bleachers will be handicap accessible, a ramp on the west side for wheelchair access, and steps on the east side. There will be 8 wheelchair spots in front row. Total spectator seating for 560 persons. They will be aluminum color. The cost of the bleachers is $71,000, and they will have to be assembled
“A lot of nuts and bolts, Meyer explained. “Another company will assemble the new bleachers at a cost of $19,000.
The materials should be delivered any day, with a target completion date before the first varsity football game of the season, probably the last week in August, weather permitting.
