Less Contracting of Salem was on site Tuesday at Firestone Stadium in Columbiana removing the exterior framework of the original football stand built over nine decades ago. Work and renovations on the landmark in historic Firestone Park. will be ongoing. The renovation work will be completed by Santini Builders. (Photo by J.D. Creer)

COLUMBIANA — The long-awaited project to rebuild the bleachers at the Columbiana football stadium in Firestone Park has begun, with demolition of the existing bleachers started on Tuesday.

The project is spearheaded by the Columbiana Athletic Boosters and funded through donations. The work includes removal of the existing aluminum bleachers and replacing with new aluminum style bleacher seating and seating with backs.

The Athletic Boosters announced in a press release that the structural demolition work performed by Less Contractors would be complete within 10 days once begun.

The company used jack hammers on excavators to begin removing the exterior cement framework of the decades old football stands Tuesday.

The next step is work on the mechanical, electrical and plumbing, followed by installation of the new bleachers, with this particular phase of the renovation expected to be completed in August of this year, the release stated.

The renovation work will be completed by Santini Builders.

The football stadium is considered one of the oldest landmarks in historic Firestone Park, which has also undergone significant improvements over the last few years as part of an effort spearheaded by the Columbiana Restoration and Beautification Committee (R&B).

The Athletic Boosters said that the stadium was included in the original plans for the park envisioned by benefactor Harvey S. Firestone, who was a Columbiana High School graduate.

The park was donated to the city in the mid-1930s and has served as the home field for the Columbiana Clippers since then.

The public park is only one of two in the state to feature a football field used by a school district.

Earlier this month City Manager Lance Willard told city council that he met with the stadium committee, including members Pat Tingle, Sean Zentner, Summer Stoy, and Jim Santini, to discuss ways the city could help, either with the demolition or construction.

Athletic Boosters President Sean Zentner has briefed city officials on the project over the last several months, and most recently asked if the city could seek grant funding to help cover a portion of the cost of the overall multi-million-dollar project.

According to the most recent press release, to date, over a million dollars has been raised for the restoration of the stands.

That funding was jump-started by the largest matching grant from the Tingle Family Foundation to encourage the community and other interested parties to support the project, the release stated.

Replacing the stands is the first phase of the four-phase project at the football field.

Meanwhile, the release also stated that more fundraising is needed for the additional planned phases that will complement the $10 million capital project undertaken by the R&B Committee to refurbish Firestone Park.