Go and celebrate a new season at Civic Park a decade after a tragic fire left in ruins the old Civic Stadium — the once beloved home of Eugene Emeralds baseball. With the support of the Eugene and Springfield community, Civic Park opened in June 2020 and in 2022 raised the over $30 million needed to complete its Phase 1 with its grandstand, turf field and field house. Phase 2 calls for an electronic scoreboard, food court and more. This Saturday, May 3, the season kicks off with a first responders soccer match presented by Deployed Logix. The commemorative match pits Eugene Springfield Fire against the police — a classic rivalry — to give tribute to the brave people who responded to the fire back in 2015. Shane Raum, Lane United FC director of media and marketing, says, “We are putting together this first responders match to bring back the first responders to the fire and kick off our season.” The Lane United FC season spans from early May through early July, and Civic says it will also become home to a professional soccer team in 2026.

The First Responders Match is 6 pm Saturday, May 3, at Civic Park, 2077 Willamette Street. The event is all ages and tickets can be found at Tickets.laneutd.com. Prices range from $12 to $19 for adults and $6 to $15 for children.