news-record.com

If the city waits much longer to shore up deteriorating War Memorial Stadium, there may not be anything left to save.

So, the City Council should follow the recommendations of city staffers and the Parks and Recreation Commission to spend $1.3 million in previously allocated funds to at least preserve the architecturally pleasing facade.

Other options, including seeking federal stimulus money, trying to land historic preservation grants and forming partnerships with local colleges that play baseball there, all have struck out. Twice, voters rejected bonds to pay for a major fix-up. An innovative plan floated several years ago would have made stadium renovations part of a more extensive project involving the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market across Yanceyville Street. It, too, failed to gain traction.

The reality is that age and neglect have taken their toll on the 84-year-old facility, which honors World War I veterans. Although colleges and amateur teams still call it home, the stadium's profile lessened appreciably after Greensboro's minor league baseball team successfully relocated to the new NewBridge Bank Park downtown.

Patched cracks and makeshift fixes that buy only limited time no longer make sense. A better solution is the current plan, which calls for saving the historic arches while leveling much of the rest. Thousands of seldom-used permanent seats would be replaced by 500 bleacher seats.

Unfortunately, the proposal headed to council doesn't include updates to locker rooms and concession stands. Eventually, either the city or teams playing home games at the stadium will have to address those needs.

If the city continues to procrastinate, funds earmarked for repairing the historic facility could be used elsewhere. The best choice is to save the crumbling centerpiece while still providing a needed community playing field.