Canal Park (Akron, Ohio) facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
 Canal Park
Location in Ohio
Canal Park
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 300 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44308 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°04′41″N 81°31′20″W / 41.077924°N 81.522202°W |
| Owner | City of Akron |
| Operator | Akron Professional Baseball Inc. |
| Capacity | 7,630 |
| Field size | Left Field: 331 feet (101 m) Left Center: 376 feet (115 m) Center Field: 400 feet (120 m) Right Center: 375 feet (114 m) Right Field: 337 feet (103 m) |
| Surface | Kentucky Bluegrass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 5, 1996 |
| Opened | 1997 |
| Construction cost | US$32 million ($58.3 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Populous |
| Project manager | H. R. Gray |
| Structural engineer | DLZ, Inc. |
| Services engineer | Bredson & Associates, Inc. |
| General contractor | Summit Construction Co., Inc. |
| Tenants | |
| Akron RubberDucks (EL) 1997–present | |
Canal Park is a cool baseball stadium in Akron, Ohio. It is the home field for the Akron RubberDucks baseball team. The RubberDucks are a "double-A" minor-league team. They are connected to the Cleveland Guardians, a major league team.
Canal Park opened in 1997. It was designed by a company called Populous. This same company also designed the Guardians' home field, Progressive Field. The stadium gets its name because it is right next to the Ohio and Erie Canal. This canal runs behind the left-field wall.
Contents
What Makes Canal Park Special?
Stadium Design and Seating
Canal Park has one main level for fans to watch the game. The seats stretch all the way from one foul pole to the other. This means there are many great spots to catch the action! Most sections have about 20 to 25 rows of seats.
There are also special luxury boxes and a press box for reporters. These areas are located above the concourse. Along the right-field line, there's a covered walkway. Here you can find a restaurant and the RubberDucks' team shop. In left field, there's a grassy picnic area. Groups can rent this spot for special events.
Fun Events at the Park
Besides RubberDucks baseball, Canal Park hosts other exciting events. It sometimes holds local high school and college baseball games. The stadium has also been part of the Akron Marathon. In 2016, Canal Park was proud to host the Eastern League All-Star Game. This was a big event for baseball fans!
Awesome Scoreboard Upgrades
First Digital Scoreboard
In August 2006, Canal Park got a brand new digital scoreboard. It was 18 feet tall and 25 feet wide. This new board replaced an older one that used light bulbs. The new scoreboard could show full-color animations. It was a big improvement for the park. The entire scoreboard structure was huge, measuring 56¼ feet by 68 feet. At that time, it was the largest free-standing scoreboard in Minor League Baseball.
Bigger and Better Displays
In January 2013, the team announced another big upgrade. They installed an even newer scoreboard. This one was 26 feet high and 68 feet wide. It remained one of the largest in Minor League Baseball. A smaller ribbon board was also added in left field. Both of these cool displays were made by Daktronics.
Latest Video Board Technology
Before the 2025 baseball season, Canal Park got another amazing upgrade. The park invested $4 million to replace its video boards. This included the main right-field video board and the left-field ribbon board. Two new displays were also added on the Suite Level. The new main video board is 41 feet high and 67 feet wide. It is now the tallest video board in Minor League Baseball!
Akron RubberDucks Baseball
Record Attendance
Fans love coming to Canal Park to watch the RubberDucks play. On July 24, 2015, the stadium had its biggest crowd ever. A total of 8,301 people came to enjoy the game that day! The team has often had some of the highest attendance numbers in the Eastern League.
