Dubuque Senior High School, Dalzell Field Renovation

In the first phase of a long-range plan, the Dubuque Community School District sought to address security, accessibility and crowd control at its outdoor athletic and extracurricular event facility. Dalzell Field, used by three high schools, hosts nearly all major football and track events in Dubuque.
A major challenge for the architect was providing accessible seating and egress for the visiting team’s bleachers. Setting atop a sizable hill, the site now is accessed through a series of ramps and stairs integrated into the design of a new concession and restroom facility. This new facility eliminated the intermingling of home and visiting crowds. Portions of the existing bleachers were removed, and wheelchair-seating platforms were installed. Finally, a concrete retaining wall incorporated into a portion of the ramp provided the additional area needed to include handicapped parking directly adjacent to the ramp system.
Future phases will include widening the track, updating the home bleachers, a new press-box facility, home-side concessions, and locker rooms for both home and visiting teams.

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