DEM Approves Major Cranston Stadium Grant

Cranston Stadium will have new lockers and facilities that will bring a much-needed overhaul to the prime sporting arena after a $800,000 matching grant sought by city leaders was approved by the state Department of Environmental Management this week. 

"It's not too often we hit a home run," said Cranston City Council President John E. Lanni Jr., who noted the grant was identified and will be applied for with the help of the city's recently-hired grant writer, Ken Filarski. "But we hit one here."

Cranston Stadium is known for hosting sporting events for schools around the state.

It's big, it has a high-quality synthetic turf playing field and the stadium is large enough to host big crowds for championship games, tournaments and more.

But the facility, tucked in the heart of the Stadium neighborhood a block off Park Avenue, has one glaring omission: locker rooms.

The city will split the $800,000 cost with the state, thanks to the matching grant. 

"Cranston Stadium is a first-class operation and the pride of the community," Lanni said. "It will attract athletic teams from throughout New England if we put in this grant to get showers."

City Council members debated whether the city should apply for the grant or not last year. Some concerns were raised about traffic and congestion caused by more events being held at the stadium.

Filarski said the grant is designed to expand recreational and commercial opportunities in the city. The stadiums location in the heart of the city near Park Avenue is mentioned in the comprehensive plan as a place for upgraded commercial activity. And upgrading the stadium can give the city an opportunity to make small changes that might actually improve traffic in the area.

"It will undoubtedly drive a lot of business in and around the area of Cranston Stadium not only for retailers, but for service facilities," Filarski said. "The enhancement of the stadium can actually be used for traffic mitigation."