MAUMEE, Ohio — MAUMEE, Ohio — The former longtime home of the Toledo Mud Hens will be demolished by the end of the year, the Lucas County Commissioners announced at a news conference Tuesday morning.
The commissioners later voted 3-0 later in the day to tear down Ned Skeldon Stadium. The county plans to hire a company to complete a feasibility study to present the board with options for the entire Lucas County Recreation Center property in Maumee going forward.
"Lucas County is looking to the experts to determine the best use for the rec center," Commissioner Gary Byers said. "The RFQ will be a top-to-bottom analysis of every aspect of the center, the buildings and athletic fields. We are going to ask the experts to develop opportunities to increase the rec center and have it remain visible to the community."
Razing the structure will cost an estimated $1.1 million, the commissioners said.
The commissioners said the city of Maumee and its residents will have a say in future plans for the space, which spans more than 70 acres. Mayor Rich Carr told WTOL 11 on Monday he would prefer a mixed-use development with space for residential, commercial and recreational opportunities.
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The stadium has been vacant for several years and many sections are in disrepair. The Mud Hens played there from its inception in 1965 until they moved to Fifth Third Field in 2002.
Local club athletics groups, including baseball and softball leagues, also have used the stadium for many years.
Commissioner Tina Wozniak said demolition will happen in October or November to allow various athletic leagues using the property to finish their seasons without interruption. Once the stadium is leveled, the land will be maintained by the rec center.
"We are very thoughtful through this process about how can we turn this into our dreams of the future and make sure there's a place for all these users," Wozniak said. "We have a big responsibility here and we're taking it very seriously."
Wozniak said she feels a special connection to the old stadium.
"So Ned Skeldon was my father, he was a great proponent of baseball, I have a ton of memories of being here," Wozniak said.
Now, Wozniak said, is time for a serious update.
"We want to bring back that heyday, we want to tear down the old but bring back the vibrancy that we used to have," Wozniak said.
The commissioners said they will seek community input before deciding what will take the stadium's place at the rec center complex.
"We'll be talking to the administration of the city of Maumee, as far as other parts of the county, we'll be talking to the neighbors, we'll be talking to the current utilizers," Byers said. "We want a top to bottom analysis, and all of those factors will be taken into account."
Commissioners aim to find a new use for the property that fills a gap in local recreational offerings, Wozniak said. The former stadium site could become anything from a dog park to a volleyball court, depending on the community's needs, she said.
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