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After working for 35 years as a carpenter, Dennis Hebert has a passion for historic Civic Stadium in Eugene that runs deeper than for most sports fans.

When Hebert moved to Eugene in 1987, he lived only six blocks away from the baseball stadium, which has a covered, wooden grandstand.

鈥淚 could hear the roar of the crowd and didn’t know what it was,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen I saw this great old wooden ballpark and immediately became a regular there.鈥�

The Eugene Emeralds played their final game at Civic Stadium in 2009, but Hebert still has appreciation for the craftsmanship visible in one of the nation’s 12 remaining wooden ballparks.

鈥淪itting there, you’re looking up at the old wooden structure and I ended up falling in love with it,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have to do everything we can to save this one 鈥� it’s not just an abandoned building.鈥�

Hebert is chairman of the board of Save Civic Stadium, a group he co-founded four years ago. With a $2,500 grant from the Historic Preservation League of Oregon, the organization has redoubled its efforts to lease or purchase the property from its owner, Eugene School District, and redevelop the facility into a regional sports complex and concert venue.

But another community organization has a much different vision for the 10.2-acre property in South Eugene.

Dave Perez, executive director of the Eugene YMCA, envisions rebuilding the 64-year-old Roosevelt Middle School alongside a new community and recreation center on the site.

The YMCA offers programs that many Eugene School District students already take part in, Perez said. Co-locating the facilities could enhance that partnership. He said more struggling students could take advantage of resources like the YMCA’s academic achievement center, for example, if the buildings were to share a site.

Plus, the YMCA for more than a decade has looked for an opportunity to move out of its cramped facility at Patterson Street and 20th Avenue, Perez said.

The plan would require demolishing the 74-year-old stadium, but Perez does not share Hebert’s romantic image of the structure.

鈥淚t’s just a big, crumbling eyesore,鈥� Perez said.

However, the YMCA would honor its legacy by reusing materials, he said.

鈥淥ur primary objective is to be located next to a school so kids can walk there and we can complement what the schools are doing,鈥� Perez said.

While the organization is also considering plans to build a new facility on the Roosevelt Middle School site, Perez said the Civic Stadium site would encourage greater collaboration because of its proximity to South Eugene High School.

But the future of Civic Stadium rests with the Eugene School Board, which considered similar proposals last year before ultimately deciding to keep plans on hold.

This year, however, district officials have more information to work with.

The school board hired an independent consulting firm to analyze all of the district’s properties and help develop a 10-year facilities plan. In April, MGT of America reported that as much as $244 million could be needed to repair aging schools.

A district spokeswoman said that MGT will provide recommendations for school repairs and surplus property, possibly including information about Civic Stadium, at the next board meeting on May 9.

Perez said the YMCA is waiting for more direction from the school district before beginning its major fundraising efforts.

On May 10, Save Civic Stadium will present its latest vision for the property. The organization recently hired a firm to produce fresh renderings, and commissioned a series of interviews and focus groups. A new business plan is being developed that the group hopes will catch the eyes of district officials.

Save Civic Stadium recently restructured into two entities. 鈥淔riends of Civic Stadium鈥� will continue preservation efforts 鈥� including voluntary site maintenance to keep ivy and blackberry vines from adding to the building’s deterioration. 鈥淐ivic Stadium Sports and Entertainment鈥� will pursue soccer and event-related partnerships.

鈥淲e’re trying to keep the flame burning in the community for what a gem this stadium is,鈥� said Jim Watson, secretary of Save Civic Stadium. 鈥淚t’s not pretty on the outside; we know that. But it can definitely be renewed to better than it was before.鈥�