Longtime residents of Riverton will recognize this photo of a structure which generations of area families came to think of as an integral part of the Riverton landscape.
Now gone, the Riverton Grandstand witnessed not only countless league baseball games played by adults and children, but it also served many years as the backdrop for Riverton School Field Day events, and other community activities.
Just the reminder of it can evoke strong memories of one’s life milestones passed within sight of the iconic landmark. Countless friendships forged there have outlived its demolished cinderblock walls.
So it was not without much debate and study of alternatives that Borough Council decided the best course was to raze the deteriorated Grandstand earlier this year and build a new one.
HSR members followed developments in the September 2011 Gaslight News and local newspaper, and occasional updates have appeared on this website here, and here.
The new grandstand scheduled for completion in late September, holds the promise of again becoming a venue for many future athletic events and Borough functions. Rising in the same footprint as the original, it may also soon help build some new memories as well as become a symbol of community pride that echoes the legacy of its predecessor.
These recent snapshots illustrate the progress of construction thus far and hint at the considerable scope of the job.
Please add your recollections about the original structure or your thoughts on the new one to this growing account of past and present information on Riverton’s Grandstand. – John McCormick
