The ground has been broken at historic Franklin Field.

On Tuesday afternoon, roughly 60 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of renovation. The work will include an updated six-lane track, synthetic turf and field similar to what is at Marshalltown High School (MHS) to accommodate soccer and football, improved lighting, a new concession, restroom and storage facility, bleachers and an expanded west parking lot.

Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD) Superintendent Theron Schutte greeted the crowd and said the ceremony is long overdue.

“Franklin Field is a place where so much of Marshalltown’s athletic spirit and pride developed for well over a century, 100 years,” he said.

Schutte provided a brief history of the field, noting that it was dedicated in 1922. The first game on the field was in October of that year, and the school district athletes were the Bulldogs. Later in the 1920s, a vote was held amongst MCSD students and they were changed to the Bobcats.

In the 1940s, the football team had three undefeated seasons, and Franklin Field was their turf.

“I had the pleasure to be in the last senior class to actually play a football game here in the fall of 1980 and 1981,” Schutte said.

Since 1981, Franklin Field has been home to the Miller Junior High Bobkids, which then became the Bobcats. However, he said athletics has not been the only reason for the field. It was primarily about unity, determination and belief in Marshalltown youth.

“In recent years, it has fallen in disarray,” Schutte said and indicated a large crack spread across the width of the track. “For example, this track has never really had a true track surface on it. The last time it was a true track surface, it was cinders and most people don’t even know what that is. You didn’t want to fall on it, I’ll guarantee you that.”

The Franklin Field project, with an approximate cost of $7.8 million, is a part of the bond referendum overwhelmingly approved by voters last November, with 68 percent in favor. The successful referendum allowed the district to issue $57 million in general obligation bonds to support the Reimagine Miller project, a comprehensive effort to renovate, expand and rebuild Miller Middle School, along with the redevelopment of Franklin Field.

“We are so happy the community chose to support the bond referendum in November 2024, and part of that bond referendum is the Franklin Field project,” Schutte said. “Today, we’ll ceremonially kick off the work that will happen between now and hopefully November or December . . . and we’ll have our first true events for Miller Middle School here with the spring track season in 2026.”

Schutte added when long-range facilities plans were being made, doing something to Franklin Field was a “pipe dream.” He did not think it would happen so quickly, because it was going to take a major financial lift, which MCSD found. The $57 million bond referendum will be paired with $49 million in Securing an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) bonds for a $106 million renovation. Additional funding utilized to help pay for the project includes $84,000 in PERL funds; $750,000 in Marshalltown High School Career and Technical Education project savings and; $131,180 from the City of Marshalltown for half of the $262,360 cost of the storm sewer replacement.

“It truly is a diamond in the rough for the 13th Street District,” Schutte said. “. . . I think the thing I am proudest of here is this is much more than a renovation. It is a recommitment to the values that this field was built on through opportunity, community and pride. It’s going to provide our young people with a high-quality facility. It won’t be over the top, but I think our kids and our community can be proud of having at least as good as what other school districts have.”

Franklin Field construction is expected to begin June 9 and completed Dec. 9. Schutte added that when Franklin Field is finished, the district will be on the verge of a significant, historic renovation of Miller Middle School, which will take two to three years to complete.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.