Don Plusquellic

Don Plusquellic. . , Don Plusquellic , Mayor, City of Akron (1987-2015) , In the fall of 1994, Mayor Don Plusquellic had the vision of professional baseball played in a beautiful downtown Akron ballpark. He envisioned a state-of-the-art stadium, which would be a focal point in the rebuilding of downtown. , Plusquellic hired the Camden Yards and Jacobs Field designers, HOK Sports (now Populous), began touring the country to study minor league ballparks, and worked to secure a stadium location. The two locations considered were the former Portage Hotel site at by Market and Main streets, or land near Akron Children's Hospital and the eastern bank of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The decision to build the 8,500-seat, $30.7 million stadium at its existing location was made. The name Canal Park honors the canal way that was vital to the city's growth in the 19th century. , Canal Park's groundbreaking ceremony was January 5, 1996, and on April 10, 1997, starting pitcher Jaret Wright took the mound for the Akron Aeros, beginning a new era of baseball in Akron and a new spirit of growth and development in downtown Akron. , For these efforts and his continuing support, this plaque is dedicated in recognition of Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, whose vision and efforts made Canal Park possible. , Dedicated during the first Eastern League All-Star Game ever hosted in Akron, July 13, 2016