'It's a jewel': New Western University stadium drawing rave reviews
The aerial view of new field turf and the purple running track at Western University in London, Ont. is striking.
"This is a jewel," says Christine Stapleton, sport and recreation director at Western.
Western chose to invest $5 million in a renovation throughout the pandemic while sport was in a stoppage. It included a new playing surface, eight-lane, 400 metre running track, modern training facilities and 10,000-person seating capacity.
"The ability to replace the track, the field and all the drainage, there's parts of this project that you can't see that are so important to the space," says Stapleton.
"We did a big safety upgrade for the bleachers, and we're looking forward to adding 500 new stadium chairs. The lighting will be highly energy efficient LED lighting and we'll have the ability to direct the light onto the field so that there's not a spray of light into the community".
Stapleton also says they will improving the media area, football locker room, lounge area and adding platforms for unique spectator viewing.
The Mustangs Football team is off to a 2-0 start on the new home turf.
"The players love it, it looks good, it's fast and so far we haven't had a lot of injuries so it's safer," says Greg Marshall, head coach of the Western football team.
"These surfaces after probably 10-12 years, start to get compressed and the fibers begin to break down. And then the layer underneath it begins to you know harden so it was time,” said Marshall. “Every year, the technology around the field and infill in the field gets better and this is a much better field than we had before".
Marshall credited the university for investing in upgrades during what he says was 'a very difficult year' for the athletic programs.
The stadium, which has turned 20 years old, was originally built to host the 2001 Canada Summer Games. The infrastructure upgrades could potentially open more doors for Tourism London.
"The temporary upgrades done for the Ontario Summer Games in 2018, were required in order to host that event," says Zanth Jarvis, sport tourism director at Tourism London.
"It's nice now to not have to do such upgrades to host the 2024 Summer Games that we have coming up,” Jarvis explained. “Hopefully there's some athletics events down the road that we can look at as well, especially with the certification that they were able to receive for this facility"
Stapleton now considers the facility one of the top facilities in Southwestern Ontario.
"You combine this space along with our hospitality services and our residences, and this will be an attractive destination to come for major events," says Stapleton.
Saturday, Western announced that the athletics stadium has been renamed Western Alumni Stadium following a $1.4-million donation from the Alumni Association. For the past two decades it has been sponsored by TD.
In addition to the stadium’s name change, the former Labatt Lounge will also be renamed the Alumni Lounge. The new name for the stadium and lounge will be in effect for 10 years.
"The Alumni Association has always been a proud supporter of Western and the London community. The renaming of the stadium to the Western Alumni Stadium further signifies the alumni community’s deep ties to Western and to the city, and we are excited to be part of this next chapter,” said Mark Brown, president of the Alumni Association board of directors.
Stapleton says Western has over 300,000 alumni, and now they have a place that they can call home.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been 'successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant.'
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.