New Turf for BC Place

[Andrew W]

Looks as though they'll be putting the turf from the Big Owe into BC Place, although nothing official yet. It focuses on the Lions reaction but there is a snippet about soccer.

New Turf

Turf's up!: The Lions will finally get their field of dreams, Montreal's old turf

Lowell Ullrich

The Province

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Cory Mantyka said late-season practices are about to become tolerable.

Javy Glatt said film sessions will never look the same.

And Wally Buono is about to be given a gift at the most opportune time possible, just in advance of CFL free agency.

Finally, the Lions can look forward with certainty to the installation of an artificial surface to replace the aging carpet at B.C. Place Stadium.

Two Eastern Canadian sources confirmed terms of a deal have been negotiated, which will eventually result in the surface at Montreal's Olympic Stadium being shipped to the False Creek dome.

Stadium officials did not return calls, and an announcement confirming a signed contract is not expected for some time.

The Crown-controlled facility had its unionized work force go on strike Sunday, blocking any immediate attempt to move the synthetic surface owned by Montreal-based FieldTurf.

However, upon resolution of the labour dispute and a signed deal, the carpet will arrive long before the Lions' first preseason game in mid-June.

Although the football team has objected to providing partial funding for a purchase, saying the turf is a stadium matter, a new surface has been high on their wish list for several years.

Players around the league for years have complained about the lack of flexibility in the current surface.

It forced the Lions routinely to think twice about leaving their soggy grass field practice surface in Surrey during wet weather.

"Now when we get into October and November and Wally doesn't want to practise on the boat launch any more it will be easier," said Mantyka, whose 12th CFL season ended with arm surgery after he was hurt in the dome.

"It's tough on your body [at B.C. Place]. You'd do something for 15 minutes and all of a sudden a knee or back is aching."

Glatt's ACL surgery last year was a direct result of an injury suffered due to the unforgiving nature of the turf.

"This is definitely good news," said the linebacker. "We were the only team in the league that when you watch film of our games it looks like the '80s."

The surface to be installed, which will be stored on movable trays, could have benefits beyond the Lions' needs. The stadium will be in a better position to host international soccer matches, as FieldTurf has the blessing of the game's governing body, FIFA.

"For those types of games it certainly can't hurt," said Vancouver Whitecaps director of operations Bob Lenarduzzi.

Teams won't be playing on a new surface. The rug being acquired by B.C. Place was installed last April at the Big O under a loan agreement by FieldTurf prior to the final season of baseball's Montreal Expos.

Nonetheless, word of new turf just before the start of free agency Feb. 16 gives the Lions a large recruiting lift.

"When we talked to [ex-free agent running back] Mike Pringle, one of the reasons he wouldn't come here was that playing at B.C. Place took too much of a toll on his body," said Buono.

"But the advantages in free agency are second to our own [players'] wear and tear. This is a big thing for us."

[Cheeta]

Boy dose BC Place ever need it. Surprising how much different the game looks (and plays) on a better field.

Thought that there was an articule posted, oh Geez maybe last summer already, about FieldTurf marketing a mobile checkerboard surface to venues for use at speciel events. Guess the Olympic stadium grid was the guinne pig.

Damn. Wish I had shares in that company.