Home bleachers at Hanover Area Memorial Stadium shown during a game versus Northwest Area on Oct. 6, 2017. Ed Lewis | Times Leader
At least the first two Hanover Area football home games to be played at other stadiums
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Entrance to Hanover Area Memorial Stadium on Oct. 19, 2012, when the road leading to the stadium was dedicated in the name of Mike Lewis, who served as the football team’s manager from 1977 to 2022. Ed Lewis | Times Leader
HANOVER TWP. — The Hanover Area football team will play their first two home games at other stadium facilities as a paint removal project of the home bleachers resulted in a high concentration of lead particles inside locker rooms and storage units.
Hanover Area Superintendent Nathan Barrett said there was a layer of lead paint that was being removed by chemicals and sandblasting when particles of lead got into an air duct and into locker rooms, offices and storage units under the home bleachers.
Barrett said the “mishap” was an “unforeseen accident” by the company removing the lead paint.
The superintendent alerted the Hanover Area community about the incident in a letter on Aug. 7.
“While conducting the abrasive means of removal, it was discovered that lead containing dust migrated into the areas below the bleacher system. We are currently working with an environmental professional and contractor to determine the level of contamination and process for proper remediation,” Barrett wrote.
Barrett said Monday the varsity football team is practicing at the athletic fields of King’s College with plans to have practices at the high school’s baseball field. Most equipment and supplies have been moved to the high school.
The stadium has been restricted and “there is no reason to believe that any staff, students, athletes, coaches and the community were in contact with the contamination,” Barrett wrote in his letter to the Hanover Area community.
Hanover is scheduled to have five home games this season, which marks the 100th year of Hanover Area Memorial Stadium.
Events planned to celebrate the stadium’s 100th year have been delayed but will take place once the “all-clear” and is safe to play at the stadium, Barrett said.
Hanover’s scrimmage against Northwest Area (Aug. 17) and first game of the regular season against Marian Catholic (Aug. 23) are away.
Hanover’s first home game (Aug. 30) against Riverside will be played at Wilkes-Barre Area football field with efforts underway to find a stadium to play the Sept. 6 game against Holy Cross.
If the stadium is not deemed safe by Hanover’s third home game (Sept. 27 v. Tunkhannock), Barrett said the game will be played at another site.
Barrett said the stadium is undergoing renovations under a $500,000 Keystone Communities Program Grant.
Hanover Area Memorial Stadium opened as Hanover Township Memorial Stadium and hosted its first home game on Sept. 20, 1924, defeating Edwardsville High School 20-13.
It is the second time in Hanover football history that the team is unable to practice at memorial stadium. In 1988, the varsity and freshman teams practiced on the baseball field due to renovations of the stadium’s field house and locker rooms.