Atwood Stadium Revisited

Ron Rolak, Director, Atwood Stadium gave a very interesting and historical overview of the stadium (located on University Boulevard in Flint).  The stadium was named after the Atwood family who had a lumber business located on Moon Island, on the Flint river.  The business was started by William Atwood and upon his death was taken over by his son Edwin.  Edwin had little interest in the business and let the property deteriorate.  The site and the property where Atwood sits today became a dump, where people would put their trash.  The river between Moon Island soon filled up with trash and in 1917, 5,000 volunteers came together to clean up the area. 

Atwood Stadium was eventually built on the former dump site, and Helen Atwood was present to dedicate the stadium.  Many famous people crossed the field at Atwood from FDR in the 1930's, to Jesse Owens, and JFK in the 1960's.  Many high school football games have been played in the stadium over the years and since the 1990's, the stadium has been used principally for high school events. 

$1.5 milion has been invested to fix up the stadium and today there is still work being done on the locker rooms and one of the restrooms. 

The stadium can hold 11,700 people.  Six (6) times around the field is one mile.

There are several upcoming events at Atwood this year:

May 14 - 9:30 - 2:30 pm - Spring Clean-up (volunteers needed to help with painting and clean-up type work)

May 23 - August 26 - 11:30 am - 12:30 pm - Senior Stadium Challenge - Senior citizens can walk the field, climb the stadium steps and also get free blood pressure and cholesterol checks.

May 17 -  August 25 - Bathrooms will be open for Crim Training Participants to use as they run or walk all or part of the Crim course in preparation for the 35th Crim Festival of Races on Saturday, August 27, 2011.

June 23 - June 25 - Big Man Football  & 3 pt Kicking Camp & Clinic

August 27 - 6:30 pm - Vehicle City Classic - Saginaw Catholic v. Flint Power Catholic, plus all parochial school reunion.

For more information, go to http://www.ci.flint.mi.us/atwood/atwood.htm.