Thomas D'Alesandro Stadium, Sports stadium in Kiryat Haim, Israel
Thomas D'Alesandro Stadium, also known as Kiryat Haim Stadium, is a football ground in Kiryat Haim, a neighborhood in northern Haifa, Israel. Its western concrete stand, built in 1957–1958, held about 13,000 seats at its peak, with grass terraces opposite; the stadium could accommodate over 22,000 spectators. The single remaining concrete stand is approved for about 1,000 standing spectators.
Construction began in 1957 and the ground was inaugurated in May 1958, built with help from the Jewish community of Baltimore. Hapoel Kiryat Haim and Hapoel Haifa first used it mainly for training; in 1964 it hosted the State Cup final between Hapoel Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv after two drawn finals at Bloomfield. From 1965/66 Hapoel Haifa made it their home ground, and in 1984/85 Maccabi Haifa played here while Kiryat Eliezer was renovated, winning their second league title. Hapoel Haifa left for good in 1991.
Local football teams and youth groups use the ground regularly for training and matches, making it a meeting point for the neighborhood. On match days, families and neighbors gather on the grass terraces around the pitch.
The ground is in a residential part of Kiryat Haim and easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets, with straightforward access to the stands and pitch. Arriving a little early on event days is a good idea, as the outdoor areas fill up quickly.
The official name honours Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., mayor of Baltimore and father of Nancy Pelosi, whose city's Jewish community helped fund the ground's construction. The Hebrew source dates his visit to Haifa's workers council to the early 1960s, while the English source ties the naming to Baltimore's support for the young state.
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