KIRKWOOD, Mo. – There are new developments in the ongoing saga over what is going to happen with the former Kirkwood Athletic Association ball fields.
The fields were set to be demolished but now those plans are on hold.
The former Kirkwood Athletic Association (KAA) ball fields are along Marshall Road and have had thousands of kids play ball on the field over the years.
The fields have been vacant for a while and it appeared that demolition plans were moving forward. Now, there could be new hope for saving this athletic complex.
Flooding has been a significant issue as the fields are right by the Meramec River. The Kirkwood Athletic Association ran the fields for years, but the group went belly up after multiple issues, including devastating flooding in 2019, COVID-19 and litigation involving accusations of misconduct.
The city of Kirkwood took ownership of the property last year and accepted a $98,000 demolition bid for this area in May. But now, Kirkwood City officials say that after productive input and discussions with a group of citizens dedicated to continuing youth athletics, the Kirkwood City Council has decided to pause the demolition plans.
Kirkwood City representatives reportedly met with the citizens group to try and find a way forward to preserve youth sports at the former KAA fields.
Kirkwood city leaders say the pause in demolition will allow the citizen-led effort more time to organize and continue the discussions about the future of this area.
The decision by the city council to hold off on any demolition ensures that the fields will remain intact to allow more time for additional talks about the future of the former KAA fields.
Buildings here that are unsalvageable will be removed for safety reasons.