City schedules public hearing ahead of approving Grant Bowl lights

Night games could be in the cards for Grant football and soccer teams in the near future. But first, a chance for public comment has been scheduled.

The City of Portland’s permitting and development office

has scheduled a public hearing for June 11

, allowing members of the public to voice their concerns over putting new stadium lights up at the Grant Bowl.

The addition of lights and bleachers at the Grant Bowl was part of

the bond that Portland voters approved in May

.

The city has recommended approval of adding stadium lights to the Grant Bowl pending the public hearing. During

another hearing process in late May

, the city heard concerns from local residents who did not want the lights to be kept on too late, as well as concerns about noise and trash.

This would be the second update to the Grant Bowl in recent years. The field had to be closed in the fall of 2023 as the turf field’s lifespan had run out and it

was deemed unsafe for organized sports

. The field was updated in time to be used in 2024 for football and soccer.

The football and soccer teams are only able to host games on their home field while it is still light out. The majority of Grant football games after dark are played at the Marshall campus and the soccer teams play at Delta Park.

Athletics upgrades were a big ticket item

for the recent bond that Portland School passed in May. Other major upgrades include renovations at Jackson Middle School, the Marshall campus and the former Whitaker Middle School site. These sites would become athletic hubs for PIL sporting events. The hubs would include fields for football, soccer, lacrosse and other sports, as well as lighting, bleacher seating and tennis spaces.

Roosevelt and Franklin are also scheduled to get upgrades for the baseball and softball facilities. Sylvan Middle School will also get upgraded facilities, like a multi use turf field and new lights, for Lincoln High School teams to use as well.

Correction: A previous version of this story said the upcoming city hearing would be about lighting and seating at the Grant Bowl. The upcoming hearing will address only lighting.

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—

Nik Streng

covers high school sports in Oregon. Reach him at

nstreng@oregonian.com

or

@NikStreng

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