Kennedy Joins Lackawanna Officials to Announce $465 Thousand State Grant to Improve Veterans Stadium

Improvements Will Include New 8,000 Square Foot Pavilion Featuring Synthetic Ice Rink and Multi-Use Trail With Fitness Equipment

New Pavilion Will Replace Tents, Save on Rental Costs in Long-Term

LACKAWANNA, NY - Senator Tim Kennedy (D-Buffalo) joined Lackawanna Mayor Geoffrey Szymanski and members of the Lackawanna City Council to announce a $465,445 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation to help the city pay for upgrades to Veterans Stadium, home of the Lackawanna High School Steelers football and soccer teams. The upgrades will allow for the stadium to be used year-round. Upgrades will include a new 40 foot by 200 foot pavilion with a cold storage room to replace the need for tent rentals. In addition, a removable synthetic polymer ice rink will be installed, as well as a new multi-use trail featuring several pieces of fitness equipment along the paved trail. When the ice rink is removed, the space can be used for gatherings, roller hockey, and other activities.

“Veterans Stadium is a Lackawanna landmark,” said Senator Kennedy. “This grant by the state will transform the site from a Spring through Fall facility to a year-round destination for community gatherings. I want to thank Mayor Szymanski and the City Council for aggressively pursuing this state funding, and I look forward to seeing construction get underway on this exciting project.”

“Veterans Stadium is a Lackawanna institution, and we could not be happier that the state is recognizing that,” said Assemblymember Patrick Burke. “These improvements will reverberate through a community that couldn't be more deserving, and they will help make the facility an even more desirable destination for recreation, events, and athletics.”

“Veterans Stadium is an important part of the City of Lackawanna’s recreational facilities,” said Mayor Geoff Szymanski. “With this state funding, we can further expand our offerings for city residents and draw in visitors from the surrounding area. Thank you to Senator Kennedy and the Office of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation for recognizing the importance of improving recreational access for residents in communities like Lackawanna. With this grant funding secured, we will be looking forward to implementing long-term equipment for our residents to use for decades to come.”

“First and foremost, I want to thank Senator Kennedy for securing this grant from the state for Lackawanna’s Veterans Stadium - he’s a good friend to Lackawanna,” said City Council President Annette Iafallo. “This $465,000 grant will provide much-needed improvements to our stadium, making it more family-oriented, a dream of our former recreation director Rick Zybert.”

"The Veteran Stadium restoration project will hopefully be the catalyst to bring family oriented recreation to the center of our city for all of our citizens to enjoy,” said Second Ward Councilman Ronald Schultz.  “I personally would like to give special thanks to the former head of recreation, Rick Zybert, for his dedication and hard work throughout the entire process."

"These improvements will help to make Veterans Stadium a year-round destination,” said First Ward Councilman John Ingram. “On behalf of the residents of Lackawanna's First Ward, I want to thank Senator Kennedy and New York State for this investment in the City of Lackawanna."

The stadium, formerly known as Ron Jaworski Stadium, is centrally located at 2960 South Park Avenue, behind the historic Station No. 3 firehouse that was built in 1928. It regularly hosts events, including National Night Out, the annual Lackawanna Festival, high school and little league football, as well as car shows, fireworks, and more.

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