The Keokuk Community School District needs the community’s help to be able to continue to keep the recently renovated track and field open at all times to the community for public use at Calvert Stadium. Recently, the Keokuk School Board was notified of concerns from the KCSD Activities office about intentional damage to the press box doors, heavy littering, lotion poured on the field, as well as attempted break ins of the press box and the Chief Cart, where Chief apparel is sold during games. Currently the field gate is unlocked at all times to allow community members to use the track to run and walk, as well as the turf field for extra practice and playing with friends and family.
The school board hopes that by notifying the community about these concerns, the damage and littering will cease and the gates can remain open at all times. If the littering and damages do not stop, then the board will need to lock the gates at a minimum from dusk till dawn each day, which will limit the community’s use of the facilities.
The Jim Kersten Track & Jim Vandenberg Field in Calvert were named in 2021 in honor of the longtime coaches at the Keokuk High School and both went through an extensive renovation that was completed in 2024 with modern functionality to make it a community gathering place.
