The owners of the Eugene's beloved Civic Stadium hope to rebuild after a fire destroyed the building Monday.
The structure's grandstands were built in 1938 under the New Deal. It later served as the home field for Eugene's minor league baseball team, the Emeralds, until 2009.
Earlier this year, the city announced that it planned to sell the stadium, possibly to developers, but the nonprofit Eugene Civic Alliance petitioned the city to sell the structure to the group instead for preservation.
"Once I saw that it was gone ... it was a real sense of heartbreak and loss," alliance member Derek Johnson told OPB's "All Things Considered" host Kate Davidson.
Johnson said the building was insured and the group still hopes to use the area for community sports and a recreation center for local youth.
"The children in this community still really need a place to play," he said. "Our mission of putting together something for the kids in the community is as strong as ever."
Eugene police are investigating the cause of the fire.