LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — It’s the end of an era as demolition crews began tearing down Loeb Stadium Wednesday morning.

“Leaves a little void in my heart,” said lifelong Lafayette resident Norbert Fisher.

Fisher had mixed emotions watching the demolition.

“Just sad to see it go, but like I say, ‘progress is progress,’” Fisher said. “Hopefully the new one will be better.”

The same goes for another lifelong resident, Bill Balser.

“Just to watch them tear down a big part of my childhood. It’s going to be a good thing, but also a sad thing today for me,” Balser said.

Crews have made great progress already. Demolition is supposed to last several weeks, but that’s nothing compared to the number of memories that have been made at Loeb Stadium over the last 80 years.

“My dad used to bring us up here to watch the Lafayette Red Sox play baseball on this stadium right here,” Fisher said as he pointed to what was left of the bleachers.

“My family that’s not here any longer used to come here and watch me play,” Balser explained. “Just have a lot of fond memories.”

Balser says he’s anxious to make some new memories at the new multi-use stadium.

“I can’t wait for it to get here so I can come and watch the ball games with my son,” he added.

While the old stadium crumbles and goes away, the memories won’t.

“I’ve got a spot in my heart for this stadium,” said Fisher. “That’s all I can say.”

The new stadium is on schedule to be finished by the end of 2020.

The Lafayette Aviators will play their 2020 home games at Purdue’s Alexander Field. Their first season at the new Loeb Stadium will start in the spring of 2021.