Construction has begun on a new stadium at Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Burnaby Mountain campus.
Scheduled for completion in August 2020, the stadium will include seating for 1,800 spectators, an accessible concourse and washrooms, spectacular sightlines, broadcast and media facilities, an integrated sound system, a fully accessible VIP/sponsor box, coaches booths, improved access from the Lorne Davies Centre to the Terry Fox Field and Track, all covered by a roof canopy over top of a large portion of the seating.
The first ever permanent outdoor home for SFU Athletics, the stadium is expected to transform campus life, creating a vibrant meeting place that connects students, alumni and the community.
Along with the Student Union Building, the stadium has been designed by Perkins and Will, and the planning process included multiple consultations with students and stakeholders. Chandos Construction is building the new covered stadium on the hillside of Terry Fox field.
“The stadium is going to be a tremendous addition to campus life,” said SFU president Andrew Petter. “Not only will it be a great place to come and watch some fabulous sports activities, and our football and soccer teams compete in the NCAA, but it will also mean the Terry Fox field can be used for other events like concerts or gatherings, as well as a whole bunch of student orientation events.
The SFU Stadium is jointly funded by SFU and Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), with students voting in favour of a student levy needed to bring both projects to life.
As Canada’s only university competing in NCAA, the stadium will play an instrumental role in supporting SFU student-athletes, and raise the profile of the University.
“It’s not just going to be for athletes to come out and practice, it’s going to give students a reason to come out to events,” said Samer Rihani, the acting president of the SFSS. “It’s going to give students a purpose to want to come out, regardless of weather and conditions. Our athletes are still going to be performing at that really high level, so we should have a stadium that is also at a high level as well.”
